The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an insight or moment that showcases just how grand the world’s biggest sporting spectacle has become — even beyond the expanded field of this year’s global event.
Ireland’s last appearance at a World Cup before USA 1994 was in Italy four years earlier. They managed to reach the quarterfinals following three draws in the group stage and a win over Romania after penalty kicks.

TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 28: A detail view of the Toronto Blue Jays logo on an equipment bag prior to a spring training game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
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The Toronto Blue Jays made it clear that they were not afraid to shuffle a World Series roster shortly after their season ended last year.

The 2026 NFL Draft has some positions where the top prospect is up for debate, and others where it is clear-cut and has been for months. At guard, it’s the latter, as Penn State’s Vega Ioane has led this group throughout the pre-draft process, and with good reason.
We certainly didn’t bury the lede with this one, so let’s dive into this 2026 NFL Draft scouting report.
Ioane, a former three-star recruit out of Graham-Kapowsin High School in Graham, Washington, didn’t even play football until his sophomore year.

Why Ben Rice’s scorching Yankees start isn’t a fluke originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Last season, Ben Rice was a great player in the heart of the New York Yankees‘ order.
Even then, though, he was a bit unlucky. His underlying stats showed he should’ve had an even bigger season.
So far in 2026, it looks like the luck is evening out for Rice. He’s still crushing the baseball, and in the early going, he’s had immense results to show for it.
According to MLB.

Each NFL offseason, there is a substantial break between the start of free agency and the next big event on the schedule, the draft. This leaves plenty of time for colleges and universities to schedule pro days and spread them out enough so that NFL scouts can attend as many as physically possible to evaluate the best prospects around the nation. This year has been no different, with the New Orleans Saints compiling their usual list of hundreds of players, this year being especially notable with how many have been reported.

After facing comparisons with Virat Kohli over his inability to finish a recent chase against Hyderabad Kingsmen, Pakistan captain Babar Azam responded in style, by rewriting the record books.
On Thursday in Karachi, while representing Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Babar became the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. He achieved the milestone in just 338 innings (351 matches), surpassing the previous record held by Chris Gayle, who had taken 343 innings. Kohli sits third on the list, having reached the mark in 360 innings.

Since you’re here reading this site, you’re like us and hang out on the basketball side of the Internet a lot. And the most fun part of the basketball side of the Internet is Larry Bird.
You can see the videos of his amazing skills, and that’s always fun, or you can go next-level and enjoy the legend of Larry Bird, trash talker.
All of his contemporaries consider Bird the greatest trash talker of all time.
As relentless as he was as a player, Bird was just as relentless as a purveyor of psychological warfare.

Lincoln City have spent seven seasons in League One [Getty Images]
Promotion to the Championship and securing a return to the second-tier after 65 years in record-setting fashion is not enough for a Lincoln City side that also wants the League One title, according to striker Rob Street.
Victory at Reading on Monday, which extended the Imps’ club-record unbeaten league run to 24 games, ensured the Imps were going up.
Lincoln can now move to the brink of claiming the third-tier crown if they beat Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany attends a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League Quarter-final soocer match against Real Madrid. Peter Kneffel/dpa
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has said that his 40th birthday on Friday was secondary as he prepares for another Bundesliga match where they have a 54-year-old league record in sight in-between a Champions League duel with Real Madrid.

Liverpool injury latest: Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak and more
Liverpool Injury Latest: Alisson Becker Absence Bites at Crucial Stage

Liverpool are navigating the sharp end of the season without their most reliable presence between the posts, Alisson Becker. For a side chasing silverware under Arne Slot, timing matters, and this latest setback could hardly have arrived at a more delicate moment.

The Brazilian goalkeeper has endured a fragmented campaign, disrupted by recurring muscular issues.

KOLKATA: Not many had heard about 21-year-old Mukul Choudhary in the cricketing circuit before Thursday. The wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan became the new hero of this IPL season as he smacked seven sixes, the same number hit by Kolkata Knight Riders in their whole innings earlier, and two fours to script an incredible three-wicket win for Lucknow Super Giants against KKR at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday.
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Report: Juventus pushing to sign Liverpool star this summer

Alisson Becker and Juventus: Romance Rekindled in Turin?

Juventus are rarely timid in the transfer market, and their latest ambition carries both nostalgia and intent. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Bianconeri have made initial progress in their pursuit of Alisson Becker, with the Brazilian “open to a move” and a three-year contract under discussion.

This is not merely opportunism. It is strategy, shaped by experience, and perhaps a touch of sentiment.

Kompany discusses potential Bayern rotation against St. Pauli
Following Tuesday’s 2–1 Champions League quarter-final win over Real Madrid, and with an eye on the return leg on Wednesday, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany is expected to rotate his side for Saturday’s Bundesliga match against FC St. Pauli.
But how many changes will he make? Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the Belgian coach said he didn’t know yet and would make the decision after the final training session.

It’s Friday and Frank Leahy would be proud that we’re pulling out the T-Formation for today’s Triple Option news about Notre Dame.
SILENCE CLOWN
Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire made some noise last season as he bashed Notre Dame — mostly because the Irish aren’t in a conference. Here he is partially defending himself for that, but he’s also just being an absolute clown with clown takes.

Joey McGuire believes Notre Dame should be in a conference
Thoughts 🤔 pic.twitter.

[Getty Images]
Former Leeds United cult hero and promotion winner Stuart Dallas says the Whites have “more than enough” to avoid relegation this season and he is “confident” they will do so.
Daniel Farke’s side beat West Ham last weekend to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1987 and are four points outside the Premier League relegation zone with seven games to play.

Enzo Fernandez and his agent apologise to Chelsea over recent comments about Real Madrid
Enzo Fernandez and his agent have apologised to Chelsea over the recent comments he made about Real Madrid, per Sky Sports.  
Fernandez raised questions about his future in West London, and also said he would welcome living in Madrid. 
Chelsea punished the midfielder for his controversial comments by deciding to drop him for their matches against Port Vale and Manchester City.

Monaco predicted XI v Paris FC: Aleksandr Golovin out, Maghnes Akliouche a doubt
Aleksandr Golovin has not been included in the AS Monaco squad to face Paris FC on Friday evening. The Russian has struggled an adductor injury, the club have confirmed.
Sébastien Pocognoli must also make a decision on Maghnes Akliouche. The France international has been in hot form in recent weeks, but he sustained a minor injury aganist Olympique de Marseille last week, limiting his chances to train this week. However, L’Équipe understands that he could yet start against Les Parisiens.

[Getty Images]
A late push for Europe would put a different complexion on a bruising domestic campaign.
But Newcastle must go on a run to do so, which they have failed to do all season.
When Anthony Elanga openly asked whether the dressing room could show they were fighting for the head coach “again, again and again”, in a previous interview with BBC Sport, the forward was alluding to his side’s inconsistency.
“We want to keep on fighting for him because he’s helped us so much,” he said.

Official: Real Madrid dismiss reports of plans to hire new sporting director
Real Madrid have never been a club that tolerates speculation quietly and this time was no different. 
Following a wave of reports in the Spanish media, the club has stepped forward to firmly shut down claims suggesting a major structural change behind the scenes.
Recent reports had indicated that Real Madrid were exploring the possibility of appointing a sporting director for the first time in years.

Final Thoughts: Arne Slot’s tactics backfired in Liverpool’s defeat to PSG
PSG 2 – 0 Liverpool – Champions League Postmortem

After another night on the European stage, Liverpool delivered a performance that felt less like resistance and more like resignation. This was not a contest of equals, no matter what the Reds head coach thinks. It was a team unsure of itself, its structure, and its direction, falling apart against an opponent that knew exactly what it was doing.

Arne Slot turned to a back five system that looked unfamiliar from the first whistle.

BBC: Boost for Man Utd as EPL rivals open to selling ‘unbelievable’ full-back wanted by INEOS
Manchester United might stand a genuine chance of landing Myles Lewis-Skelly this summer, with Arsenal opening the door for a sale.
The Red Devils are searching the market for a left-back who can take some of the burden off Luke Shaw’s broad shoulders and eventually take the torch from the 30-year-old.

Robbie Keane has had more than 130 games as a manager [SNS]
Ferencvaros head coach Robbie Keane admits he wants to manage at a higher level after emerging as the clear front runner to be the next Celtic boss. (Nicky Byrne podcast via Sun)
Current Celtic manager Martin O’Neill dismisses any conspiracy theories after the Scottish Premiership post-split fixtures were released. (Sun)
Celtic and Club Brugge are keen on Australia international goalkeeper Mat Ryan, with the 34-year-old out of contract at Spanish club Levante at the end of the season.

Bronny James has played alongside father LeBron for two seasons at Los Angeles Lakers [Getty Images]
Bronny James passed to parent LeBron for the first son-to-father assist in NBA history as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 119-103.
Bronny, 19, set-up LeBron to run the length of the court for an uncontested dunk that was part of a 26-point contribution from the 41-year-old veteran.
The pair recorded the first father-to-son assist in a match against the Brooklyn Nets last month.

Flint’s Elliot Reeves celebrates after scoring his second goal in the semi-final win over Bangor City 1876 [FAW/Sam Eaden]
Flint Town United head of coaching Lee Fowler says his side cannot worry about the “anxiety” of a relegation battle when they play in the JD Welsh Cup final.
The Silkmen – who won the Welsh Cup in 1954 – face Caernarfon Town at Newport’s Rodney Parade on Sunday.
But they go into the final with their Cymru Premier status hanging in the balance – they are two points above the relegation zone with one game remaining.

Wayne Rooney and Luke Littler both know what it is like to be thrust into the limelight at a young age.
A 16-year-old Rooney made the world sit up and take notice when he scored a stunning late winner for Everton against Arsenal in 2002.
At 18, he joined Manchester United in a £27m move, and by the time he was 21 he was a Premier League champion.
Darts world number one Littler was also 16 when he burst on to the scene by reaching the final of the 2024 World Championship.
He won both the Premier League and World Championship at 17 and successfully defended his world crown at 18.

Wayne Rooney and Luke Littler both know what it is like to be thrust into the limelight at a young age.
A 16-year-old Rooney made the world sit up and take notice when he scored a stunning late winner for Everton against Arsenal in 2002.
At 18, he joined Manchester United in a £27m move, and by the time he was 21 he was a Premier League champion.
Darts world number one Littler was also 16 when he burst on to the scene by reaching the final of the 2024 World Championship.
He won both the Premier League and World Championship at 17 and successfully defended his world crown at 18.

Apr 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) hits a walk-off grand slam home run against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Valente Bellozo (not pictured) to win the game in the twelfth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The San Diego Padres played their first extra-innings game of the 2026 season and the first under new manager Craig Stammen. It took 12 innings for the Padres to top the Colorado Rockies in their series opener at Petco Park on Thursday night, giving them and Stammen the win.

Apr 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) hits a walk-off grand slam home run against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Valente Bellozo (not pictured) to win the game in the twelfth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The San Diego Padres played their first extra-innings game of the 2026 season and the first under new manager Craig Stammen. It took 12 innings for the Padres to top the Colorado Rockies in their series opener at Petco Park on Thursday night, giving them and Stammen the win.

Tennessee’s Estrella picks Michigan three days after national title originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The squad that took the Tennessee Volunteers out of the Elite Eight is getting another Volunteer. J.P. Estrella, the 6’11” who played in Knoxville for three seasons, committed to Michigan Thursday, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, just three days after the Dusty May-coached program claimed its first NCAA title since 1989.

Tennessee’s Estrella picks Michigan three days after national title originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The squad that took the Tennessee Volunteers out of the Elite Eight is getting another Volunteer. J.P. Estrella, the 6’11” who played in Knoxville for three seasons, committed to Michigan Thursday, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, just three days after the Dusty May-coached program claimed its first NCAA title since 1989.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 09: Willi Castro #3 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after being tagged out at home during the 12th inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies fought and fought, pushing the San Diego Padres into extras. Unfortunately, they came out on the losing end of a crooked loss, but they showed some absolute heart. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak, and also marked the longest game (by innings) in 2026.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 09: Willi Castro #3 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after being tagged out at home during the 12th inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies fought and fought, pushing the San Diego Padres into extras. Unfortunately, they came out on the losing end of a crooked loss, but they showed some absolute heart. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak, and also marked the longest game (by innings) in 2026.

LeBron James continues to be unclear about his NBA future after Steph Curry’s absence originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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For the longest time, LeBron James and Stephen Curry have been rivals. In the 2010s, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors met in the NBA Finals for four straight seasons from 2015 to 2018.
Since then, LeBron and Steph have remained friendly rivals, even when the former joined the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James continues to be unclear about his NBA future after Steph Curry’s absence originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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For the longest time, LeBron James and Stephen Curry have been rivals. In the 2010s, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors met in the NBA Finals for four straight seasons from 2015 to 2018.
Since then, LeBron and Steph have remained friendly rivals, even when the former joined the Los Angeles Lakers.

Liverpool confirm Andy Robertson will leave at end of the season
Liverpool have confirmed Andy Robertson will leave the club at the end of the season. 
The 32-year-old’s contract will expire in June, and the Reds will not offer him a new deal. 
The news comes after Mohamed Salah confirmed he will depart the Merseyside club this summer without serving the final year of his contract.   
Both Robertson and Salah joined Liverpool in the same transfer window and have been key players for the team over the years.

Augusta, Ga. – Rory McIlroy began the defense of his first Masters title with a 5-under-par 67 that gave him a share of the first-round lead with Sam Burns at Augusta National on Thursday.
It is only the third time in 18 Masters starts that McIlroy has broken 70 in the first round, and the second-lowest opening-round score he has posted, only trailing a 65 in 2011.
“Great, great start to the week, obviously. Felt like I got a lot out of my round today,” the product of Northern Ireland said. “I settled into the round nicely even when I wasn’t hitting fairways.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — John Carlson scored three goals for the first hat trick of his 17-year NHL career, and the Anaheim Ducks snapped their six-game losing streak with an emphatic 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano also scored and Beckett Sennecke had two assists for the Ducks, who jumped to a 4-0 lead and dominated their Pacific Division rivals for their first win since March 26.
Carlson scored two power-play goals in the third period, connecting with 5:57 left to secure the first hat trick of his 1,156-game career.

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Indy Ignite have existed for two seasons and have yet to fail to make the playoffs.
The Ignite became the first Major League Volleyball team to clinch their spot in the four-team field beginning May 7 by beating the San Diego Mojo in five sets — 25-20, 19-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-9 — Thursday. Indy (17-4) will set its sights on winning the regular-season championship with a 1.5-game lead on the Dallas Pulse with seven matches to play.
San Diego (10-11) became the fourth team unable to overtake the Ignite by the first playoff tiebreaker — points earned in match results.

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🔥​ Thrashing in Caracas and unexpected slip-ups in the Copa Libertadores
On a day of contrasts, the Copa Libertadores once again showed us that names don’t win matches. 
The star of the matchday

The Venezuelan side made a statement by beating a historic club like Libertad 3-1. Universidad Central delivered the most complete performance of the matchday. What a Libertadores debut!
The surprise of the matchday

Rosario couldn’t take advantage of playing with one more man during the final 30 minutes of the match.

See the moment LeBron James and Bronny James sh

Michael Eaves and Andy North run through highli

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 05: Geraldo Perdomo #2 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits an RBI sacrifice fly against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Chase Field on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Introduction
I struggle with failure. It’s one of many, many, many reasons I was never going to be a professional athlete – particularly a baseball player given the sport’s inherent propensity for failure.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Dylan Guenther scored his 39th goal of the season, Clayton Keller had three assists to reach 56 and the Utah Mammoth beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.
Utah (42-30-6), which has won seven of 10, can clinch the franchise’s first playoff berth in its second season if the Anaheim Ducks beat the San Jose Sharks later Thursday. The Mammoth sit in the first Western Conference wild card spot with 90 points and have a six-point lead over Nashville.

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NEW YORK — The Celtics fell to the Knicks 112-106 on Thursday from Madison Square Garden, failing to clinch the No. 2 seed for the East playoffs. The Knicks had just enough to win Thursday. The C’s fell to 54-26 on the season while the Knicks improved to 52-28. Boston was also without Jaylen Brown for Thursday’s loss.
Both teams were evenly matched through the first half with neither side able to build a huge lead. The Celtics struggled shooting 3-pointers to open the night, but they kept themselves in the game with second-chance points.

Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Finally Admits Hard Truth About NBA MVP Case originally appeared on NESN.
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With only a few games left in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, the NBA MVP race is all but settled.
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the heavy favorite to win again, and rightfully so. The Thunder are the best team in the league and he’s their best player.

MACCABI TEL AVIV coach Oded Katash and his team
Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Fenerbahce 95-80 as the Reds closed in on clinching a playoff spot with a record of 22-13. Meanwhile, a crucial contest awaits Maccabi as its aspirations are questioned.
Israeli teams in Euroleague action had mixed results this week as Hapoel Tel Aviv took a huge step toward not only securing a playoff spot but also to holding home-court advantage, while Maccabi Tel Aviv’s play-in aspirations were put into doubt.

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