When it’s all said and done, only one team will get to hoist the FIFA World Cup trophy and be crowned champion. And President Donald Trump will be close by when it happens.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was a speaker at a Davos Kick-off for FIFA World Cup 2026, which coincides with the World Economic Forum.

Infantino confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will co-present the World Cup winner’s trophy on July 19.

‘This trophy will be handed out on the 19th of July to the captain of the team who will win the World Cup,’ Infantino said. ‘I will give it together with the President of the United States, the host country. Nobody can touch this trophy.’

It’s a sacred tradition.

Infantino grew up playing football, but his skills didn’t translate as much as his passion did. While he didn’t have an opportunity to reach the World Cup, he found another way to get his hands on the big prize.

‘I decided to become FIFA president so I could finally have the privilege and the honor to touch this magic trophy,’ Infantino said. ‘It’s truly the most iconic trophy in the world of sports. It is truly magic.’

Donald Trump at sports events

Trump isn’t a stranger to trophy presentations. He crashed last year’s shiny hardware delivery during the FIFA Club World Cup after Chelsea’s 3-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain in July.

Recently, he was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, sort of. The award was designated to Venezuelan María Corina Machado for fighting for democracy in ‘the face of ever-expanding authoritarianism in Venezuela,’ according to the Nobel Prize outreach website.

Machado, after meeting with Trump, decided to gift him the peace prize, which the president accepted.

‘I thought it was very nice. She said, ‘you know, you’ve ended eight wars and nobody deserves this prize more than, in history, than you do,’ Trump said. ‘And I thought it was a very nice gesture. And by the way, I think she’s a very fine woman. And we’ll be talking again.’

A month before being gifted the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump was awarded for another peace prize.

Trump was named the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize winner during the World Cup draw in Washington in December.

The award was created in November for ‘to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.’

Trump accepted the award from Infantino and said it was ‘one of the great honors’ of his life.

‘You definitely deserve the first FIFA peace prize for your action, for what you have obtained – in your way – but you obtained it in an incredible way,’ Infantino said. ‘And you can always count, Mr. President, on my support, on the support of the entire football community, or soccer community to help you make peace and make the world prosper.’

This story has been updated with additional information.

Who will be the Fernando Mendoza of the 2026 college football season?

It’ll be tough for a player to replicate what the Indiana quarterback achieved in 2025, winning a Heisman Trophy before leading his program to a national championship win and a perfect 16-0 record (becoming just the first player to achieve that feat since DeVonta Smith in 2020 and first quarterback since Joe Burrow in 2019).

Mendoza passed for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns to six interceptions in the 2025 season, also rushing for seven scores. The first-year transfer from Cal was a sought-after transfer portal quarterback, although no one foresaw him developing into a Heisman winner.

The last four Heisman winners are former transfers, as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Travis Hunter and Mendoza all started their careers at different schools. The winners from 2017-19 — Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Burrow — were also transfers.

Will the 2026 Heisman Trophy winner come out of nowhere? Or will it be a high-profile returning player or transfer? Here’s a way-too-early look at the top Heisman contenders for next season after Indiana’s national championship win over Miami:

Way-too-early Heisman Trophy contenders for 2026

Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Mississippi

Trinidad Chambliss is still fighting for a sixth and final season of eligibility, but the Mississippi quarterback would instantly be one of the best returning players in college football — if he wins his case.

Chambliss, a first-year transfer from Division II Ferris State in 2025, passed for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns to three interceptions in 2025. He also rushed for 527 yards and eight scores.

The 6-foot-1 quarterback was a breakout performer in the College Football Playoff, leading Ole Miss to wins over Tulane and Georgia before falling to Miami in the final seconds of the Fiesta Bowl semifinal.

Chambliss wasn’t the full-time starter until Week 3, and has a chance to put up gaudy numbers with a full slate of games.

Arch Manning, QB, Texas

Former 5-star recruit Arch Manning, the latest quarterback from the Manning family, entered 2025 with loads of hype as a first-year starter leading preseason No. 1 Texas. He struggled out the gate, but was prolific as the season went on.

Manning, a redshirt junior next season, passed for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns to seven interceptions on the year, also rushing for 399 yards with 10 touchdowns. He ended the season with a huge game against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, totaling 376 yards with four touchdowns in the 41-27 win.

He returns leading receiver Ryan Wingo and adds 5-star transfer receiver Cam Coleman to his group of weapons. Texas also grabbed two of the best running backs in the transfer portal in Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown, both of whom are strong pass-catchers.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Jeremiah Smith was instantly one of the best players in college football as a true freshman at Ohio State in 2024, and was pivotal in the Buckeyes’ national championship run. The Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2025 was among the best again as a sophomore.

Smith caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards with 12 touchdowns in 2025. His quarterback, Julian Sayin, returns in 2026 with a full season starting under his belt. He and Sayin, a Heisman finalist in 2025, will both compete for the award.

Malachi Toney, WR, Miami

Another true freshman receiver in 2025, Malachi Toney was Miami’s go-to target last season, despite being a true freshman who reclassified from the 2026 recruiting class.

The should-be high school senior in 2025 was electric for the Hurricanes, finishing with a nation-leading 109 receptions for 1,211 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown while passing for two more scores.

Toney is set to be Miami’s best offensive weapon again in 2026 with a year of experience under his belt.

Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana

Josh Hoover will be Curt Cignetti’s third quarterback at Indiana, and the third to come from the transfer portal.

The three-year starter at TCU has 9,629 career passing yards with 71 touchdowns to 33 interceptions, and brings loads of experience with him to Bloomington, Indiana. He has struggled with turnovers at times, but that could be due to throwing more than 400 times the last two years.

Hoover will have Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh and returning receiver Charlie Becker, one of Indiana’s breakout stars late in the season, as his primary weapons in 2026.

Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State

A redshirt freshman in 2025, Sayin finished fourth in Heisman voting behind Mendoza, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love — as a first-year starter. It’s safe to assume he could take an even bigger leap in 2026.

Sayin was one of the most efficient passers in college football, completing a whopping 77% of his passes with an 88.4 QBR, ranking No. 4 nationally. He and Smith form what could be the top quarterback-receiver duo in the country next season.

He struggled at times in Ohio State’s season-ending Cotton Bowl loss to Miami, throwing two interceptions and taking five sacks in the 24-14 loss.

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Dante Moore was widely viewed as the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but opted to return to Oregon for the 2026 season.

Moore, who stands 6-foot-3, has prototype NFL size and showcased elite arm talent at times for the Ducks as a redshirt sophomore. He completed 71.3% of his passes with 32 total touchdowns, but had a tendency to make errant throws, tossing 10 interceptions.

The former UCLA transfer surrendered three turnovers in Oregon’s 56-22 loss to Indiana in the Peach Bowl and is looking to have a big offseason before likely his final year of college football.

Honorable mentions

Here are a few honorable mention Heisman contenders for 2026:

Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
Brendan Sorsby, QB, Texas Tech
John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
Darian Mensah, QB, TBD
Austin Mack, QB, Alabama
Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama

Tensions were running high at the Australian Open on Thursday, Jan. 22, after Naomi Osaka beat Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, to advance to the third round.

Osaka met Cirstea at the net for the customary handshake and exchanged words after Cirstea appeared visibly upset by the four-time Grand Slam champion shouting ‘Come on’ between serves during the match.

Osaka was asked about the exchange during her on-court post-match interview.

‘Apparently, a lot of ‘come ons’ that she was angry about, but whatever. I mean, I tried to play well, I think I hit a lot of unforced errors, but I tried my best,’ Osaka said, as she held back tears when asked about her shouting during the match. ‘She’s a great player, I think this was her last Australian Open. so … okay, sorry she was mad about it.’

Later, during the post-match press conference, Osaka apologized for being disrespectful to Cirstea, who was playing in her last Australian Open after announcing her retirement from the tour last year.

‘Well, if I’m being honest, I’ve never been involved in something like this before, so it’s like I don’t know if we’re supposed to leave it on the court and be like, Hey, how you doing?,’ Osaka said.

‘I’m a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize. I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.

‘So yeah, I mean, if she wants to talk about it, then yeah. But, like, when I’m pumping myself up, in my head I’m not like, okay, now I’m going to distract the other person. It’s purely for me.’

Osaka will take on Maddison Inglis in the third round.

No changes are expected at the traditional Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest following the sale of the parent company.

Smithfield Foods of Virginia, a subsidiary of the WH Group of China, is finalizing a deal to purchase Nathan’s Famous in a $450 million transaction.

A spokesperson for Smithfield told Front Office Sports that the famed contest, which began in 1972, will continue on Coney Island with George Shea as the master of ceremonies.

The reigning champion of the Independence Day staple is Joey Chestnut, who in 2025 ate 70 ½ hot dogs in 10 minutes.

The sale continues a longstanding relationship between Nathan’s and Smithfield. The two have partnered since 2014, with Smithfield in charge of the manufacturing, distribution, marketing and sale of Nathan’s Famous products in the U.S. and Canada and at Sam’s Club locations in Mexico.

The Texas Rangers landed the most coveted arm remaining on the trade market when they acquired MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals in exchange for five prospects, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been announced.

Gore, 26, earned his first All-Star nod in 2025, and while he faded a bit in the second half, still possesses one of the most dominant left-handed arms in the game. He established career highs in strikeouts (185) and strikeouts per inning (10.4) last season for Washington.

Part of the return package includes shortstop Gavin Fien, as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 draft joins the No. 1 overall, Eli Willits, in Washington’s system. 

The Rangers finished last season 81-81, their second consecutive non-winning season since taking the 2023 World Series. They traded second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets, non-tendered slugger Adolis Garcia and have been relatively quiet this offseason otherwise. 

Now, they can slot Gore between the right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom atop the rotation, giving them a potentially dominant starting pitching look. 

That’s assuming Gore, whose fastball reaches 98 mph, cleans up some of his peripherals. He posted a 1.35 WHIP last season and walked 3.6 batters per nine innings. Yet after the trade of Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee to the New York Mets Jan. 21, Gore was the clear-cut best remaining arm on the trade market – and he comes with two years of club control before becoming eligible for free agency.

Gore joined Washington as one of the centerpieces of the blockbuster 2022 deal that sent Juan Soto to San Diego. While the trade worked out splendidly for the Nationals, with Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and slugger James Wood emerging as foundational pieces, the Nationals lost 91, 91 and 96 games in the three full seasons since that deal. 

Their most recent struggles preceded the firing of manager Dave Martinez and longtime GM Mike Rizzo. Now, the original rebuilding structure is getting torn down as new GM Paul Toboni tries to construct a winner anew. 

In addition to Fien, a high school draftee from Temecula, Calif., the Nationals will receive right-hander Alejandro Rosario, a 24-year-old who sat out all of last season. Abimelec Ortiz (Class AAA outfielder, 23), Devin Fitz-Gerald (Class A infielder, 20) and Yeremy Cabrera (Class A outfielder, 20) are also headed to Washington. 

MacKenzie Gore trade details

Texas Rangers receive:

LHP MacKenzie Gore

Washington Nationals receive:

SS Gavin Fien
RHP Alejandro Rosario
1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz
INF Devin Fitz-Gerald
OF Yeremy Cabrera

The Houston Texans still haven’t reached their first conference championship game, but they did help ESPN to an unprecedented viewership metric.

The network has been around for more than 46 years, covering sports 24/7 since Sept. 7, 1979. That’s included broadcasting all of North America’s major professional leagues, significant college football and basketball telecasts − including March Madness for men and women for a period − … ‘Stump the Schwab,’ Australian Rules Football, ‘Playmakers’ and so much more (wink).

So given that backdrop, both in length and breadth of sports coverage, it’s pretty wild to learn that Sunday’s NFL divisional round playoff game between the Texans and New England Patriots became the most-watched event on ESPN − ever.

The network announced its new record Thursday, Jan. 22, revealing that 38 million viewers tuned in for New England’s decisive 28-16 defeat of the Texans, a team − one that’s 23 years younger than ESPN − that’s hardly ever resonated as a national brand. The game also ranked as Disney’s most-watched sporting event, Super Bowl broadcasts on ABC notwithstanding.

Patriots-Texans represented a 12% rise from last year’s divisional round game between Houston and the Kansas City Chiefs and was up 17% from the Baltimore Ravens-Texans game in the 2023 divisional round (calendar year 2024).

ESPN began carrying NFL games in 1987.

Disney’s previous record for a sporting event was the 2006 Rose Bowl, an instant classic in which Vince Young’s Texas Longhorns upset USC for the national championship. Patriots-Texans was also Disney’s most-watched telecast of any kind since 2014.

Add another uncomfortable moment for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The star forward who has expressed his frustrations over Milwaukee’s play multiple times this season once again questioned his team’s performance, this time saying that some of his teammates were being “selfish.”

Antetokounmpo has taken just 48 shots over his last four games, including 11 Wednesday, Jan. 21, in a 20-point loss against the Thunder.

‘We’re not playing hard,’ Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game. ‘We’re not doing the right thing. We’re not playing to win. We’re not playing together. Our chemistry is not there. Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys trying to do it on their own.

‘At times, I feel like when we’re down 10, down 15, down 20, we try to make it up in one play, and it’s not going to work – we’ve just got to keep on chipping away, possession by possession.’

Antetokounmpo has had an eventful season with the Bucks.

Recently, he booed back to the home fans at Fiserv Forum after they had booed the team’s performance. Earlier in the year, he scrubbed his social media of most mentions of the Bucks, leading to rampant speculation that he was looking to be traded.

According to multiple reports, Antetokounmpo broached the topic with Bucks management through his representatives, but he addressed the rumors and said ‘there will never be a moment that I will come out and say: ‘I want a trade.’ ‘ In mid-December, however, he didn’t rule out that his agent may be having conversations about his future with the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo has maintained that he wants to compete for a championship, but the Bucks (18-25) are languishing in the East and have lost five of their last seven games.

The Dallas Cowboys have turned to a division rival to fill their defensive coordinator vacancy.

The team is working to finalize a deal to hire Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker for the role, according to multiple reports.

Parker, 34, has held his current position with the Eagles for the last two years under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. In 2024, Philadelphia ranked first in total yards allowed and second in scoring defense, with rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean stepping into vital roles in the secondary as part of the team’s Super Bowl run. This season, Michell and DeJean both earned first-team All-Pro nods.

Parker replaces Matt Eberflus, who was fired after his lone season in the role. The Cowboys surrendered a league-worst and franchise-record 511 points in 2025.

Dallas interviewed several other coordinator candidates with backgrounds rooted in the secondary, including former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, Denver Broncos defensive passing game coordinator Jim Leonahard, Minnesota Vikings defense passing game coordinator Daronte Jones and Cleveland Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda.