• Rapper dropped from tour after pro-Palestine remarks

• Former NFL star settled case over collusion in 2019

Colin Kaepernick has accused NFL owners of colluding against Macklemore after the rapper was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour over comments he made onstage about Palestine.

Kaepernick, whose NFL career was effectively ended in the wake of his protests against police violence, says he sees parallels between himself and Macklemore.

• Capitals star is long-time supporter of Russian leader

• Ovechkin is NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer, has appeared in a campaign ad for the United Russia party, which supports Vladimir Putin, as he prepares for the new hockey season.

The Russian business newspaper Vedomosti published images of the Washington Capitals star alongside pro-Putin figures such as Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, the leading parliamentary candidate on United Russia’s list, and Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of the propaganda network RT.

• Los Angeles were already Super Bowl favorites

• Defensive tackle was 10-time Pro Bowler with Rams

• 35-year-old aiming to win second Super Bowl in LA

Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, is coming out of retirement to rejoin his only professional team, the Los Angeles Rams.

During a 10-season career with the Rams, who drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 2014, Donald was a three-time defensive player of the year and an eight-time first team All-Pro. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams at the end of the 2021 season before announcing his retirement in March 2024 at the age of 32.

• 46-year-old charged with possessing criminal tools

• York fined and sentenced to two days in jail

• 49ers CEO also owns stake in Leeds United

The San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York has pleaded no contest to two criminal charges after being arrested at an Ohio trailer park over the weekend.

KRON4 News in San Francisco reported that York was initially arrested on suspicion of engaging in prostitution but that count was amended to a charge of disorderly conduct. He was also charged with possessing criminal tools.

• Trump and Infantino booed before trophy ceremony

• Hits and Muppets: World Cup half-time show reviewed

Streamer IShowSpeed, probably more famous than 98% of the players at this World Cup, is performing too. It’s probably not even watching the match now that he’s been on.

Post Malone has rocked up to perform at the closing ceremony, which is now taking place. Swae Lee joins him for toe tapper Sunflower.

• Red Devils beat USA to advance to World Cup last-eight

• Team had been angered by suspension of red card

For Belgium, Monday’s 4-1 victory over the United States was doubly sweet. They advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals, as well as overcoming what they saw as injustice off the field.

The buildup to the match had been tinged with controversy after Fifa had suspended the red card US striker Folarin Balogun was given in the last 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That meant Balogun was free to play against Belgium instead of serving a one-match ban. When it emerged that Donald Trump had lobbied for Balogun’s red card to be overturned, Belgium – and other nations – were outraged: Uefa called the decision “incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.

Scandinavian Solidarity Department:

“I will be rooting enthusiastically for our Norwegian neighbours while rowing in my armchair,” writes Lars Bøgegaard. “The Swedes has been to a World Cup-final and reached two semifinals, while we Danes got to the quarterfinals in 1998 losing narrowly 3-2 against … Brazil. Now it’s Norway’s turn to experience the sheer happiness, I hope.”

Lionel Messi will play in his 30th World Cup match tonight, extending his record for the most by a men’s player in their career. He’ll be joined by Lautaro Martinez in attack, while Julian Alvarez drops to the bench.

For Cape Verde, Cape Verde midfielder Telmo Arcanjo, who was struggling with a leg injury, starts on the bench. Sidny Lopes Cabral returns from suspension to start at left-back.

⚽️ Kick-off time: 6pm local/8pm EDT/1am BST/10am AEST
⚽️ Third-place table | Player guide | Group tables | Mail Tom
⚽️ Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia – follow live with Beau Dure

Just a reminder if you see Marcelo Bielsa on the apps DO NOT swipe. This from Sid Lowe’s preview of today’s game:

When Uruguay were beaten 5-1 by the USA in November, he described himself as “toxic”, admitting: “Those who have a relationship with me come out of it worse. There are toxic people who only see errors, who demand, who correct, who are never satisfied with anything, who only like to talk about work, who go to eat and take a newspaper with them because they don’t want to integrate with the rest. But do you know what that behaviour is based on? Fear. One doesn’t enjoy winning; he fears losing much more.”

• Iran will be allowed into US 48 hours before crucial game

• Team Melli have complained about travel conditions

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it will grant Iran extra time to prepare for their World Cup match against Egypt on Friday.

The team had planned to lodge an official complaint with Fifa about the “restrictions imposed by the organisers” at the World Cup. Iran have been training in Mexico and were only allowed to enter the United States 24 hours before their first two matches.

• Knicks owner Dolan is a longtime ally of US president

• No NBA team has visited White House under Trump

New York Knicks owner James Dolan says his team will become the first NBA champions to visit Donald Trump at the White House.

“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN New York on Wednesday. “We still have to figure out the details … but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for [last week’s Game 3 of the NBA finals]. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”

The tournament kicks off on Thursday in Mexico City. Here’s what newcomers can expect from one of the world’s largest and most watched events

It is! Every four years the best men’s teams on the planet gather to see who will be crowned world champions. This year’s tournament will be co-hosted by frenemies Canada, Mexico and the United States in 16 cities as different as Vancouver, Kansas City and Guadalajara. The 48 teams are initially divided into [does arithmetic] 12 four-team groups with each team playing the others in the group once. The top two from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams – 32 in total – will advance to the knockout stages. Matches from that point on are single-elimination - lose and you’re out. If scores are level at the end of extra-time, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.

• New York Knicks 105–95 San Antonio Spurs

• Knicks guard leads way with 30 points

The New York Knicks entered Game 1 of this year’s NBA finals on one of the hottest streaks in playoff history: 11 games won in a row with opponents humiliated, humbled and crushed along the way. On Wednseday night in San Antonio many believed that streak would end as they faced the Spurs, who had knocked out the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the previous round, and are led by the most exciting player in the world, Victor Wembanyama.

The Knicks won anyway, keeping Wembanyama quiet for long stretches in a 105-95 victory on the Spurs’ home court. They are now just three wins from their first title since 1973.

• San Antonio Spurs 111–103 Oklahoma City Thunder

• Spurs seal series to advance to NBA finals against Knicks

For large parts of this season, many wondered if the Oklahoma City Thunder had any weaknesses. One thing the reigning champions didn’t have was Victor Wembanyama, who led the San Antonio Spurs to a Game 7 victory in the Western Conference finals.

The Spurs’ 111-103 victory on Saturday night means they will face the New York Knicks in the NBA finals, with Game 1 set for Wednesday in San Antonio.

• Knicks ease to victory in Game 4 of Eastern finals

• New York aiming for first championship since 1973

The New York Knicks are back in the NBA finals for the first time since 1999 after another overwhelming victory completed a 4-0 sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Knicks are in ruthless form as they attempt to win their first NBA championship since 1973. They also swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals and beat the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs. While their path to the finals in their Eastern Conference has been smooth they will face a stiff test to claim the NBA title. They will face either the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, a team with very few flaws, or the San Antonio Spurs, led by 7ft 4in superstar Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs-Thunder series is tied at 2-2 with Game 5 on Tuesday night.

• Full report: Antonelli produces gutsy drive to hold off Norris

Every driver starting on the grid is on medium tyres today, the rain earlier means there’s not likely to be much grip on the track. And, of course, if it rains later …

Hadjar, starting in the pit lane, will start on hard tyres in the hope of making up ground on the field.

• Pick-by-pick: all the selections from the first round

• Two quarterbacks go in Thursday’s first round

The story of the first round of the 2026 NFL draft surrounded a quarterback but it wasn’t No 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Mendoza with the first pick on Thursday after he led Indiana to the national title last season. But the shock of the night came when the Los Angeles Rams picked another quarterback, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, at No 13. The Rams current starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, was named NFL MVP last season and Simpson was projected to be a second-round pick by many analysts. However, Stafford turned 38 in February and the Rams are starting to plan for life without him, although head coach Sean McVay insisted the veteran will remain the starter for the time being. “This is Matthew’s team,” said McVay.

• Golfer has pled not guilty to DUI charges in Florida

• Footage shows Woods’s shock: ‘I’m being arrested?’

• Hydrocodone pills found in pocket following arrest

Bodycam footage of Tiger Woods’s arrest for DUI shows the golfer looking surprised when he was handcuffed by police officers at the scene of a vehicle crash last week and telling a deputy he had spoken to “the president” on the phone after the incident.

“I do believe your normal faculties are impaired, and you’re under an unknown substance, so at this time you’re under arrest for DUI,” Martin County Sheriff’s deputy Tatiana Levenar told Woods after officers conducted a series of field sobriety exercises on the 50-year-old.

• New tickets released for some group games and final

• Fans attempting to buy tickets encounter glitches

Fifa has raised the top ticket price for this year’s World Cup final to $10,990 as it released a new batch of tickets for sale on Wednesday.

The news, which came after the 48-team field for the World Cup was set, will do little to quell claims that Fifa is pricing fans out of the tournament. The most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final was about $1,600.

• 41-year-old developed compartment syndrome

• Skier credits Team USA surgeon with saving leg

Lindsey Vonn says she came close to having her leg amputated in the aftermath of her crash during the Olympic downhill earlier this month.

The 41-year-old sustained a complex tibia fracture to her left leg in the crash and underwent multiple surgeries in Italy before being flown back to the US for further treatment last week. But in an Instagram post on Monday, the American said the crash also led to compartment syndrome in her leg. The condition occurs after traumatic injuries such as falls from heights and car crashes. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “compartment syndrome happens when there’s too much pressure around your muscles. The pressure restricts the flow of blood, fresh oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and nerves. Compartment syndrome is extremely painful.” The lack of blood flow can lead to permanent damage to patients.