Follow the World Cup draw with live updates and find out who the USMNT and soccer’s best will be facing during the 2026 tournament.

For many soccer fans, the World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport. It offers spirited competition, nationalism, and an authentic sporting environment with fans from across the globe journeying to the host county to watch their team play on the largest stage.

That experience is furthered by the presence of country mascots. It has become tradition for the host country to deliver a tournament-wide mascot ever since World Cup Willie, a humanoid lion, became the face of the 1966 tournament in England.

Sixty years later, though, that tradition is taking its next step. With three countries hosting games for the upcoming tournament, just one mascot won’t cut it. Here’s a look at every country introducing a costumed representative for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Who are the 2026 World Cup mascots?

With the United States, Canada and Mexico all hosting games for the 2026 World Cup, three mascots will take the field.

Maple the Moose (Canada)

According to FIFA’s website, Maple is an artist and goalkeeper with a ‘heart full of strength and leadership.’ He also routinely journeys ‘across all of Canada’s provinces and territories while connecting with people and embracing the country’s rich culture.’

Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico)

Zayu reigns from the jungles to the south of Mexico. He plays striker on the soccer field and displays fantastic agility to defeat defenders. Zayu also ’embraces Mexican culture through, dance, food and tradition, uniting people across borders with passion and pride.’

Clutch the Bald Eagle (United States)

Clutch, a midfielder, is a leader, according to his FIFA bio. He ‘leads with action – rallying teammates, lifting spirits and turning every challenge into an opportunity to rise higher.’ Clutch’s most notable characteristics are his ‘unquenchable thirst for adventure,’ ‘boundless curiosity,’ and ‘fearlessness.’

Which cities are hosting the 2026 World Cup?

Canada

Vancouver
Toronto

Mexico

Monterrey
Guadalajara
Mexico City

United States

Los Angeles
San Francisco
Seattle
Dallas
Houston
Kansas City
Atlanta
Miami
Boston
New York
Philadelphia

When does the the 2026 World Cup take place?

The 2026 World Cup will start on June 11, 2026. The tournament moves to the knockout stages on June 28, with the final set for July 19.

We’re supposed to believe the committee was genuinely moved by Alabama’s performance in the Iron Bowl? Yeah, right.
CFP rankings adjustment gives Alabama breathing room if it loses SEC Championship game.
Weekly College Football Playoff dog and pony show is just programming until selection day.

As I watched College Football Playoff selection committee chairman Hunter Yurachek answer Rece Davis’ questions during ESPN’s latest round of its weekly dog and pony show, I considered the surrealism of it all.

I’m watching one grown man lie to another.

Court reporters must think the same thing.

Anyway, it beats digging ditches for a living.

Wouldn’t it be better for all of us, though, if a CFP selection committee chairman ever just told the truth in these interviews? Instead, we suffer through stories like how Alabama’s narrow win against a lousy Auburn team in the Iron Bowl helped it climb in the rankings — huh? — or that one particular play call inspired the committee to buoy the Tide.

Yeah, right.

With that in mind, I’ve reimagined how the interview could have gone, if all parties told the truth.

Davis: Alabama moved ahead of Notre Dame. Why?

Yurachek: Well, Rece, the committee looked at our rankings from the last couple of weeks, and we realized, ‘By gawd, we’ve got a problem.’ You see, if we kept Alabama at No. 10, we could have a wee issue of having to boot the SEC’s runner-up, if BYU won the Big 12 championship and Georgia beats Alabama.

Davis: Right. The rest of us noticed that weeks ago.

Yurachek: Well, cut us some slack. Our last chairman quit a few weeks ago, remember? Doing the best we can while some of us juggle full-time jobs. I just hired a football coach. Did you notice?

Davis: I did notice. How are the fans taking to the hire there in Hogville?

Yurachek: Erm, don’t you have another playoff question you want to ask?

Davis: Sure. So, you’re not going to want to have a team lose in the SEC championship game and get bumped out, if BYU wins the Big 12. Did that come up in the room?

Yurachek: You bet your heinie it did. If we boot the SEC’s runner-up, we’ll never hear the end of it from Greg Sankey. He’d threaten to break off and stage his own playoff or start talking about “Sesame Street” again, and nobody wants another round of that.

Davis: So, you’re saying that Alabama moving up in the rankings had nothing to do with the Tide’s performance against Auburn, or Kalen DeBoer’s gutsy fourth-down play call?

Yurachek: Are you serious? Alabama looked miserable for most of that second half. No, the rankings adjustment didn’t have to do with the Iron Bowl. We just realized we had a potential problem, if we kept Alabama at No. 10. Tell ya the truth, though, we’d love it if Alabama lost the SEC championship game and BYU lost, too. Then, do you know what we’ve cooked up?

Davis: Pretty sure I do, but I’m going to pretend I don’t, to create a little suspense.

Yurachek: Sure. Right. Suspense. Let’s do a little of that. *Dramatic pause.*

Davis: *Waiting.*

Yurachek: Was that suspenseful enough?

Davis: I guess.

Yurachek: Great. So, if Alabama loses and BYU loses, what we’ll do is flip Notre Dame back to No. 9, and Alabama back to No. 10. That way, we can avoid Oklahoma-Alabama and Texas A&M-Notre Dame rematches in the playoff. We’ll cook up Oklahoma-Notre Dame and Texas A&M-Alabama instead.

Davis: Right. I can see that.

Yurachek: So, Alabama being No. 9 is just a placeholder, so we can keep the Tide in the bracket if they lose to Georgia and BYU wins the Big 12.

Davis: Wouldn’t this be easier if we skipped this weekly charade and waited until the end of the season to reveal the rankings?

Yurachek: Of course. But, the suspense, right? Plus, ESPN needs to give you something to do on Tuesdays.

Davis: Good point. Job security for me. OK, let’s get to head-to-head. You’re honoring head-to-head by ranking Oklahoma ahead of Alabama.But, you’ve still got Notre Dame ahead of Miami. Neither of those teams play this weekend. Can they still move in the rankings, or are they set?

Yurachek: Rece, we can do whatever we darn well please. Nothing’s set. Are you kidding me? We could put the king of England in a first-round game against Lane Kiffin if we wanted.

Davis: I don’t think you can actually do that.

Yurachek: Well, maybe not. Lane would probably quit before the game. But, point is, nothing’s set. Remember, this is all just programming and #content until Selection Sunday.

Davis: Yes, and job security for me.

Yurachek: Bingo, buddy.

Davis: So, we’re not set with Miami definitively being behind Notre Dame, no matter what?

Yurachek: Rece, how many times are you going to ask me about Miami-Notre Dame?

Davis: I’ll take that as Miami still having a chance.

Yurachek: Everyone’s still got a chance until we say they don’t on selection day. Except Vanderbilt. They’re out.

Davis: Why?

Yurachek: Do you really have to ask?

Davis: No, but getting back to Miami.

Yurachek: This again? Ask me about something else.

Davis: OK, so this coaching hire you made . . .

Yurachek: Uh, never mind that. Didn’t you have something you wanted to ask me about Miami?

Davis: Yeah, so, nothing’s set until it’s set?

Yurachek: I think you’re getting the idea, Rece.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Semantics are only so important, but Thursday night’s showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions at Ford Field wasn’t so much “must win” for each team as it was “can’t lose.”

When all was said and done, it was the home team that remained standing, the Lions emerging with a 44-30 victory. It didn’t elevate Detroit, which sits third in the NFC North, into the conference’s projected playoff field just yet but, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Lions (8-5) now have a 54% chance of qualifying for the postseason for a third straight year.

Meanwhile, Dallas (6-6-1), which truly couldn’t afford to lose, now has just an 7% shot of making it to Week 19.

As we know, the scoreboard reveals the primary plot line, but there are winners and losers beyond it. Thursday night’s are as follows:

WINNERS

Jahmyr Gibbs

Are we prepared to crown him the Lions’ best player? Maybe that’s just a belated and obvious statement to many? But the multi-talented running back had another impactful night, scoring a trio of touchdowns – giving him 47 in his career and at a time when the offense is missing injured TE Sam LaPorta and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown was at less than 100%. Gibbs, now tied with Lions legend and Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, needs one more TD to have the most by a player in his first three NFL seasons.

Dan Campbell

His Lions haven’t been nearly as dominant this season while battling key injuries – DB Brian Branch may be the next one – and trying to adapt to a largely overhauled coaching staff. Yet Campbell won’t let this team fall into a rut, the Lions continuing to avoid their first regular-season losing streak since 2022. Detroit has now tied a league record with 15 consecutive victories following a defeat.

Philadelphia Eagles

As spotty and battered as they’ve been in recent weeks, Dallas’ loss gives the reigning Super Bowl champs a full two-game lead in the NFC East with five to play in the regular season.

Brandon Aubrey

He became the first kicker since at least 1991 to drill three field goals of at least 55 yards in a single game. Dallas’ amazing long-range sniper hit from 57, 55 and 63 yards Thursday and threw in a 42- and 29-yarder for good measure. He’s the first player ever to rack up 100 field goals in his first three NFL seasons and the only player to connect from at least 60 yards six times.

Cowboys run game lineage

He’s not Tony Dorsett or Emmitt Smith, but RB Javonte Williams, in his first year with Dallas, hit 1,000 rushing yards in a season for the first time in his five-year career Thursday night. Williams joins Rico Dowdle, Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott as the fourth different Cowboys to reach the benchmark in the past five seasons.

Thursday

Fascinating aside from the NFL’s research wing. The Lions’ 46 wins on Thursdays are the most in league history. The Cowboys have 44. Those, naturally, are functions of the teams’ decades-long presence on Thanksgiving. Yet given both clubs traditionally host on Turkey Day, they’d actually never met on a Thursday. Until now.

CeeDee Lamb

The Cowboys’ Pro Bowl wideout had six catches for a season-high 121 yards, the Lions basically unable to cover him.

LOSERS

CeeDee Lamb

While selling out in a bid to catch a pass in the end zone early in the third quarter, Lamb’s head hit the turf hard. He appeared to immediately show signs of a head injury and was soon ruled out of the game with a concussion, though he was able to walk to the locker room. Tough way to end what was shaping up as a great performance.

Chicago Bears or Green Bay Packers

They’ll meet at Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon with first place in the NFC North on the line. And while the winner will take outright possession of it, the loser will be in danger of falling into Detroit’s clutches. The Pack haver already swept Detroit, but the Lions shellacked Chicago 52-21 in Week 2 and will see the Bears again in Week 18.

George Pickens

Lamb’s wingman had a quiet night (5 catches, 37 yards) when his team really needed a loud performance. Pickens’ lack of impact occurred on an evening when he and Dak Prescott didn’t seem to be on the same page based on some animated interactions on the Dallas sideline. Per former Pro Bowl cornerback and current Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman, Pickens “looked uninterested.” Yep.

Jerry Jones

The Cowboys owner doesn’t appear on the injury report, but consider him week to week – and, in this case, it could be a long 10 days between games, Dallas’ next one at home on Dec. 14 against the Minnesota Vikings. In the interim, the guys Jones notably traded for this year, Pickens and DT Quinnen Williams, were virtually invisible in the biggest game of the season for America’s Team. Meanwhile, the dude who’s gone – former Dallas DE Micah Parsons – continues thriving for the Packers … and sure would have been a welcome asset Thursday when Lions QB Jared Goff was rarely pressured while efficiently running Detroit’s offense. Jones’ team technically remains on playoff life support, but he knows it will be read plenty of last rites in North Texas and across the country over the next week and a half while he catches much of the blame.

Penn State’s 54-day coaching search has reportedly moved to Iowa State’s Matt Campbell.
The search follows the controversial mid-season firing of coach James Franklin.
Iowa State faces a significant financial gap, making it difficult to compete with Penn State’s resources.

We’re not splitting atoms here. We’re talking about hiring a football coach. 

Yet Penn State has somehow botched this rather simple process of firing and hiring a coach so badly, this train wreck of what not to do will be remembered for decades to come.

Especially if the Lions somehow stumble into the best hire of the offseason, and land Iowa State’s Matt Campbell. 

We learned, according to multiple reports, that Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft’s painful 54-day coaching search has moved to Campbell, the 46-year-old who has spent 10 seasons at Iowa State despite the elite of football trying to pry him away.

Southern California tried, so did Notre Dame. So did the Bears, Jets, Browns and Lions of the NFL.

He told everyone no, and instead continued to build in the peaceful solitude of yesteryear at Iowa State. Where what’s most important to him — the very principles of what college sports should be — are embraced. 

Developing players and young men. The value of a quality education. The college experience. Personal growth.

Now Campbell is on the verge of leaving what he carefully constructed, for a job with an athletic director who fired James Franklin after he averaged 10 wins a season. Worse, Kraft fired Franklin six games into this season, after Franklin brought Penn State to within a play — one play — of advancing to last year’s College Football Playoff national championship game. 

So yeah, of course this is how it would all play out in State College. The most brutal firing in maybe the modern era of the game, followed by Penn State stumbling into Campbell because it missed on multiple other opportunities. 

And not only did the Lions miss, they raised an already stratospheric coaching market by forcing schools to pay top dollar to coaches who were never leaving for Penn State in the first place.

Curt Cignetti isn’t leaving a potential national championship team at Indiana. Matt Rhule, despite being best friends with Kraft, isn’t leaving what he’s building at Nebraska — isn’t looking former five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola in the face and telling him he’s escaping. 

Clark Lea can (and more than likely will) get a lifetime deal one day from Vanderbilt, and Eli Drinkwitz is winning 9 or 10 games annually at Missouri despite playing in the toughest conference in college football.

Seeing those realities is simply reading the room. Or Coaching Search 101.

Meanwhile, there’s Campbell, whose school is trying its best to compete financially with the heavy hitters of the sport and failing miserably. The Iowa State athletic department has a $147 million “funding gap” through fiscal 2031.

Iowa State can’t remotely compare to Penn State with the ability to generate revenue for private NIL deals, the key to attracting elite high school and transfer portal players. Penn State showed this offseason how committed, going all-in with a handful of high-dollar transfer portal additions.

Meanwhile, Campbell has annually done more with less, cobbling together lower-tier high school recruits and second-level portal additions while coaching and developing them as well as anyone in the game. 

Iowa State just finished national signing day with the 50th-ranked high school recruiting class, according to the 247Sports composite. The class has one four-star recruit, and 21 three-star — and not one of the 22 are nationally ranked. 

For years, members of Campbell’s coaching fraternity wondered what he could do with a blue blood budget, and the ability to recruit and coach elite-level talent. Now he’s closer than ever to getting that opportunity if he wants it.

Unless Kraft fails to read the room again.

The 2025 Formula 1 season began nearly nine months ago in Melbourne, Australia.

Twenty-three races have led the grid of 20 drivers and countless fans across the world to the site of the regular season finale: the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

For much of the year, the battle for the drivers’ championship seemed to be between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The team won its second consecutive constructors’ title two months ago behind what’s been the fastest car for most of the year.

Then Max Verstappen happened.

The four-time defending world champion’s been on a charge following the summer break. Verstappen managed just two wins in the first 15 races this year. But everything changed at the Italian Grand Prix as he’s rattled off five wins in the last eight events.

Those results, in addition to McLaren’s drop in pace, means the championship is undecided entering the final race for the first time since 2021. This year is an even more unusual situation: three drivers are still in the running for the title entering the finale for just the seventh time ever and the first since 2010.

Norris won the season finale in Abu Dhabi last season, but that is far from where we are now. It all comes down to Sunday’s race at the Yas Marina Circuit to decide whether a new name joins the list of F1 champions – Norris or Piastri – or if Verstappen joins even more rarified air in the sport’s history as a five-time champion.

Norris holds a 12-point lead over Verstappen and a 16-point lead over teammate Piastri. The winning driver earns 25 points so there are plenty of scenarios in which each driver could take the title. Here’s how each driver could win the F1 drivers’ championship:

Lando Norris title scenarios

Norris has the points lead entering the finale and with it has the most straightforward title scenarios. He can clinch the title if he finishes first, second or third – regardless of where Verstappen or Piastri finish.

If he fails to finish on the podium, here are all the other scenarios in which he can win the title:

Norris 4th, Verstappen 2nd and Piastri anywhere
Norris 5th, Verstappen 2nd and Piastri anywhere
Norris 6th and neither Verstappen nor Piastri win
Norris 7th and neither Verstappen nor Piastri win
Norris 8th, Verstappen 3rd and Piastri 2nd
Norris 9th, Verstappen 4th and Piastri 2nd
Norris 10th, Verstappen 4th and Piastri 3rd
Norris 11th or worse, Verstappen 4th and Piastri 3rd

Max Verstappen title scenarios

With his late-season charge and history of dominance, Verstappen certainly has momentum on his side. He’d make a historic comeback from more than 100 points back in the championship chase to take his fifth title.

To win the title, Verstappen must finish on the podium. Here are the scenarios in which he can win the title:

Verstappen 1st, Norris 4th and Piastri anywhere
Verstappen 2nd, Norris 8th and Piastri does not win
Verstappen 3rd, Norris 9th and Piastri does not win

Oscar Piastri title scenarios

Piastri looked to be the dominant driver at McLaren for much of the season with four wins in the first six races. That form dropped off over time, though, and he hasn’t won a Grand Prix race since the end of August.

With the biggest deficit to the leader Norris, Piastri has the slimmest chances of winning the title. He needs to finish either first or second and get help to make that happen. Here are his scenarios to win the title:

Piastri 1st, Norris 6th and Verstappen anywhere
Piastri 2nd, Norris 10th and Verstappen 4th

Coach Doug Gottlieb was not thrilled with the way his Green Bay team’s game against Robert Morris played out.

Gottlieb was caught on camera throwing a chair on his way back to the locker room following the Phoenix’s 80-78 loss to the Colonials.

Green Bay was up by as many as 11 points with 3:54 left in the second half. But the Colonials cut Green Bay’s lead down to two points with 35.7 seconds left, when the Phoenix were called for a 10-second violation after not advancing the ball past midcourt.

Robert Morris hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Green Bay made just one of two free throw attempts to leave the game tied. Nikolaos Chitikoudis provided Robert Morris with the victory after making the winning layup with 2.4 seconds left to play.

Gottlieb said postgame the 10-second call came down to ‘a lack of communication’ and said it “was just embarrassing how we lost the game.’

The coach was encouraged by his team’s effort, defense and execution.

The former basketball player-turned-media personality was hired by Green Bay before the 2024-25 season and led the team to a 4-28 record. Gottlieb’s squad has already matched its win total from last season, having won four of its first 10 games this season.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 14 getting underway:

NFC playoff picture

1. Chicago Bears (9-3), NFC North leaders: With back-to-back victories over winning adversaries − in conjunction with the Rams’ stunning Week 13 loss at Carolina − the Bears have now rocketed to the top of the conference. Chicago’s 6-2 record in NFC games sends L.A. (4-3) down a spot. But first place in the division and perhaps conference will be on the line Sunday at Lambeau Field. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3), NFC West leaders: The Panthers snapped their NFC-high six-game winning streak in rainy Charlotte, a loss that dropped L.A. out of the conference’s top spot. But the Rams can reclaim it this weekend with a win and some help. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), NFC East leaders: Two losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5), NFC South leaders: They narrowly beat Arizona to narrowly maintain their half-game lead over Carolina in the division. But the schedule is awfully forgiving the rest of the way aside from two meetings with those currently idle Panthers. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. Long trip this weekend in what’s likely a bid to maintain their position. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), wild card No. 2: They merely maintained their standing (for now) with their Thanksgiving win at Detroit, but a loss would have dropped them from the field entirely. A thin margin for the Pack to be sure … yet they remain just a half-game off the NFC North lead, too − and can rise to the top by beating Chicago on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4), wild card No. 3: They now have a 1½-game lead on their wild-card pursuers after winning at Cleveland, yet are only a half-game behind the Rams and Seahawks for the NFC West lead. Off this weekend, the Niners are in no danger of vacating the field. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (8-5), in the hunt: Huge win over Dallas on Thursday night. It brought the Lions within a game of the NFC’s final wild card and should help them in the division standings given either the Packers or Bears will lose Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (7-6), in the hunt: The upset of the Rams reaffirmed the Panthers as an outfit to be reckoned with, though they didn’t gain any ground in the wild-card or divisional races. Though Carolina is off this week, it would move atop the NFC South if the Bucs lose to New Orleans. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1), in the hunt: Crippling loss Thursday in Motown. Dallas’ best bet now is probably to hope the Eagles continue to struggle and leave the NFC East in play. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

AFC playoff picture

1. New England Patriots (11-2), AFC East leaders: The first team in the league to 11 wins thanks to Monday night’s rollover of the Giants, the Pats are in a very tight race with Denver, the teams’ airtight tiebreakers set to take effect once New England’s bye is over. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (10-2), AFC West leaders: Denver held a one-game advantage in the common-games tiebreaker with New England − the difference being the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Raiders − before the Pats won Monday night. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), AFC South leaders: Their Week 13 win in Nashville coupled with Indy’s loss moves the Jags into first place by virtue of the common-games played tiebreaker, which they own by a one-win advantage. Beat the Colts on Sunday, Jacksonville takes over first place outright. Slide back later, and victories over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6), AFC North leaders: A sloppy performance against the Bengals briefly cost them first place in the division and a slot in the projected playoff field − but Pittsburgh’s loss Sunday conferred it back, the Ravens currently with one additional win over the Steelers in the common-games tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4), wild card No. 1: They looked fairly fresh while taking out the Raiders in their return from the bye. But QB Justin Herbert got hurt. The Bolts’ 7-2 record in AFC games currently renders them the top-seeded wild card, and Philadelphia won’t affect that. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4), wild card No. 2: They’ve dropped three of their past four to fall off the conference pace … and have now ceded first place in the AFC South to Jacksonville after Sunday’s loss to Houston. But win in Duval County, and the Colts go back on top of the division. Though Indy beat the Chargers in Week 7, the three-way tiebreaker (conference record) currently takes precedence, and the Colts are 6-3 in those contests. The schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way out. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

7. Buffalo Bills (8-4), wild card No. 3: They got back into the win column at Pittsburgh, thus hanging on to the AFC’s final projected wild-card spot. A 5-3 record in conference games leaves Buffalo behind the Chargers and Colts in the wild-card seeding. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Houston Texans (7-5), in the hunt: They’ve won five of six, including four in a row. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts − and they took their first step toward that with Sunday’s win − while continuing their surge. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6), in the hunt: They’re virtually tied with the Ravens … but won’t be after this weekend’s trip to Baltimore. A 5-3 record in AFC games does slot the Steelers ahead of K.C. (3-4) for now. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), in the hunt: Not only will they almost certainly not win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, they could miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills and Jags, who are all ahead of them. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

11. Miami Dolphins (5-7), in the hunt: They probably need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification. Remaining schedule: at Jets, at Steelers, vs. Bengals, vs. Buccaneers, at Patriots

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8), in the hunt: They probably need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification … though they have a better one than Miami by virtue of living in this year’s surprisingly subpar AFC North. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Ravens, at Dolphins, vs. Cardinals, vs. Browns

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

The expanded 2026 World Cup will be the biggest in history featuring 48 countries – up from 32 – battling for soccer’s ultimate prize in North America.

There are 12 groups of four teams, with each playing the others once in a round-robin. Three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw, with the top two teams advancing directly to the knockout stage. In the World Cup’s new format, eight of the 12 group third-place winners also move on to the Round of 32.

The field is then whittled down again for the Round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals – with the World Cup final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here’s the path to the World Cup final in 2026:

2026 FIFA World Cup bracket

Round of 32

Match 73: Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B – Los Angeles
Match 74: Winner Group E vs Best 3rd place Group A/B/C/D/F – Boston
Match 75: Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group C – Guadalupe, Mexico
Match 76: Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group F – Houston
Match 77: Winner Group I vs Best 3rd place Group C/D/F/G/H – New York-New Jersey
Match 78: Runner-up Group E vs Runner-up Group I – Dallas
Match 79: Winner Group A vs Best 3rd place Group C/E/F/H/I – Mexico City
Match 80: Winner Group L vs Best 3rd place Group E/H/I/J/K – Atlanta
Match 81: Winner Group D vs Best 3rd place Group B/E/F/I/J – San Francisco-Bay Area
Match 82: Winner Group G vs Best 3rd place Group A/E/H/I/J – Seattle
Match 83: Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L – Toronto
Match 84: Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J – Los Angeles
Match 85: Winner Group B vs Best 3rd place Group E/F/G/I/J – Vancouver
Match 86: Winner Group J vs Runner-up Group H – Miami
Match 87: Winner Group K vs Best 3rd place Group D/E/I/J/L – Kansas City
Match 88: Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group G – Dallas

Round of 16

Match 74 winner vs. Match 77 winner – Philadelphia: Match 89
Match 73 winner vs. Match 75 winner – Houston: Match 90
Match 76 winner vs. Match 78 winner – New York-New Jersey: Match 91
Match 79 winner vs. Match 80 winner – Mexico City: Match 92
March 83 winner vs. Match 84 winner – Dallas: Match 93
Match 81 winner vs. Match 82 winner – Seattle: Match 94
Match 86 winner vs. Match 88 winner – Atlanta: Match 95
Match 85 winner vs. Match 87 winner – Vancouver: Match 96

Quarterfinals

Match 89 winner vs. Match 90 winner – Boston: Match 97
Match 93 winner vs. Match 94 winner – Los Angeles: Match 98
Match 91 winner vs March 92 winner – Miami: Match 99
Match 95 winner vs. Match 96 winner – Kansas City: Match 100

Semifinals

Winner 97 vs. Winner 98 – Dallas

Winner 99 vs. Winner 100 – Atlanta

Third place

July 18, 2026: Semifinal losers – Miami

2026 World Cup final

July 19, 2026: Semifinal winners at MetLife Stadium

2026 World Cup schedule

Group stage: June 11-June 27
Round of 32: June 28-July 3
Round of 16: July 4-July 7
Quarterfinals: July 9-July 11
Semifinals: July 14-15 – AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas) and Mecedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Third-place match: July 18 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
World Cup final: July 19 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

This NBA season isn’t going the way Ja Morant wanted.

He initially clashed in the locker room with the Memphis Grizzlies new coaching staff. Then, he clashed with Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson. He’s been the subject of constant trade rumors. He hasn’t played all that well. And he’s injured again.

On that last front, though, the narrative could be changing soon. After missing more than two weeks of action due to a right calf strain, Morant appears to inching closer to a return. The Grizzlies offered an encouraging update on the status of their star point guard on Thursday, Dec. 4.

Memphis went 5-3 in the eight games Morant missed since leaving their Nov. 15 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first quarter. The team is 5-5 overall this season when Morant doesn’t play.

Here’s the latest on Morant’s injury situation and whether he’s slated to return to the court when the Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Clippers at FedEx Forum on Friday, Dec. 5:

Is Ja Morant playing today?

No, Morant was listed as out on the Grizzlies injury report for the ninth consecutive game after suffering a right calf strain in a Nov. 15 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He will be out of the lineup when the Grizzlies host the Clippers tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

Ja Morant injury update

Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters in Memphis after a practice on Thursday, Dec. 4 that Morant was ‘day-to-day,’ according to The Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The team initially said it would re-evaluate the point guard after two weeks. Morant was seen shooting during the practice, and Iisalo noted he had been participating in non-full speed and non-contact drills.

‘He’s already moving and able to do some things with the team, so looking positive,’ Iisalo said on Thursday.

Ja Morant stats

Morant’s numbers are down across the board this season. He’s averaging 17.9 points, which would be his lowest scoring output since his rookie season in 2019-20, and dishing out 7.6 assists per game. Morant is also shooting a career-worst 35.9% from the field and 16.7% from 3-point range in 12 games this season.

Kalani Sitake was rumored to be Penn State’s top target for its coaching job.
After seeing reports, Crumbl Cookies CEO Jason McGowan stepped in and used fan support and money to convince Sitake not to leave.

With its signature pink box, Crumbl is a dessert chain founded in Utah known for making big cookies and desserts.

It’s also now known for its big influence in Brigham Young football.

It was a wild week in Provo, Utah, with Cougars coach Kalani Sitake reportedly at the top of Penn State’s long coaching search. The Nittany Lions were pushing hard to hire him, causing panic for a program that is one win away from their first College Football Playoff appearance.

That was until some big-time donor decided to “get off the sidelines’ and get to work. That was Crumbl co-founder and CEO Jason McGowan, who got BYU to rally around its coach by baking up a sweet treat with a heavy dose of love and financial commitment. 

The finished product out of the oven? A long-term extension for Sitake that keeps him at his alma mater – and Penn State still searching.

“Sometimes, you just got to get off the sidelines in life and just try your best to see what you can do to make a difference,” McGowan told USA TODAY Sports. “Every once in a while, it pans out.”

Crumbl helps BYU keep Kalani Sitake

It makes sense Sitake eventually got on Penn State’s radar. The Cougars have thrived in the Big 12 under him, going 11-2 last season and reaching this season’s conference championship game. He’s won double-digit games in four of the past six seasons. Penn State felt confident it had found its man.

The idea of Sitake leaving BYU was “gut-wreching” for McGowan, so he got to work. He posted a cryptic yet obvious message on X that he was going to do whatever he could to keep Sitake at BYU.

Not long after, he made another post that called for Cougars fans to show how much Sitake meant to the school and show him love and respect. He called it a love bomb, believing there would be a tremendous response. Just to incentivize it, McGowan said he’d give away four 50-yard line seats and airfare to the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas, for the best responses. 

“I wanted to remind Kalani just how much everyone loves him,” McGowan said. “I knew he would get a tremendous response.”

Maybe the prize helped, but It clearly had an impact. BYU fans flooded social media, and as McGowan put it, “it turned Kalani’s heart.” Sitake was emotional during the press conference announcing his extension as he recalled all the messages directed toward him.

“It was an amazing feeling of appreciation from everybody,” Sitake said. “I don’t know how you can leave that, man. I just don’t know how you can walk away from it.”

Love is a great way to convince someone, but ultimately, money does do quite a bit of talking. Luckily, McGowan is just one of several major donors for the Cougars with his company that made over $1 billion in sales in 2023, according to Forbes. After BYU beat Utah, he offered to cover the fine for rushing the field, and when the Cougars weren’t penalized, he ended up donating to the NIL fund and paying lunch debt in the nearby school districts.

It’s unknown how much McGowan, other donors and BYU offered up to keep Sitake. As a private school backed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, BYU doesn’t have to make its finances public.

But there was a bigger financial commitment. Athletic director Brian Santiago said Sitake didn’t talk much about his own compensation, but he wanted to take care of the people around him – assists, team staff and players.

“It’s not really about the money, but there is an opportunity for me to take care of my players and my staff and make sure that we’re all headed in the right direction of what we want to accomplish,” Sitake said.

Whatever the price was, it was right enough to slam the door shut on the Nittany Lions. Sitake proclaimed it was time to “quit all the drama” because “I’m here.”

With university and donor back, Santiago said it was a significant investment to “make sure that we do everything we can to retain Kalani Sitake.”

“I think Penn State offered some tremendous support,” McGowan said. “I think that was appealing to him, but I think we showed Kalani that we equally – BYU especially – and us donors in our small little way, to help out.

“We’ve got all these amazing donors behind us that just says we’re here. We’re all committed on BYU, too. It wasn’t just me. It was everyone just saying, ‘Yep, we’re here for you.’”

Why BYU wanted Kalani Sitake to stay

The week has revealed how greatly Sitake is viewed at BYU: a highly respected individual with love for the university and its fans. In McGowan’s eyes, there was no one else that could be in charge of the Cougars.

“Finding a coach who can help us win, that’s replaceable,” McGowan said. “Finding someone who can help us win, but also the character and the person he is and the values he’s trying to share, I had a hard time imagining anyone else that could come in and do what he did.

“We love him and we want him here, and you can see that.”

As if the Nittany Lions coaching search couldn’t get worse, salt was rubbed in the wound when Virginia Tech and its former coach James Franklin had Crumbl cookies at its signing day ceremony. It made sense to assume McGowan was involved in it, but don’t blame him.

“I didn’t have any part of it,” McGowan said with a laugh. “Seeing that happen, I laughed and thought it was really, really funny. I think we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously.”

Now that BYU has its guy, it can focus on trying to make the playoff. McGowan said to expect another version of love bombing, this time aimed at the playoff selection committee to remind them it belongs in the field.

There’s no better proof than teams coming up to bat for Sitake – and all striking out − thanks to the pink box.

“You know what else believes it?” McGowan added. “Penn State, and so does everyone else because they want our coach, right?’