Fifa president Gianni Infantino's position came under further scrutiny on Friday as the governing body's chief operating officer strongly criticised his plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors.
In a statement released to the ****** ociated Press, Kevin Lamour described the controversial plans as "the project of one person" and said "the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions".
The lengthy statement did not mention Infantino by name.
It came on the same day a third confederation spoke out against the plans, a senior adviser to Infantino resigned, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Swiss was "the wrong man" to lead Fifa.
US President Donald Trump - addressing the proposals for the first time - said he had not spoken to Infantino about the plans.

#plans

The calendar is turning to August, which means it's 2026 fantasy football season. And that means your draft prep has started. So of course we're here to help you out.
The first thing you need to do is identify value in fantasy football drafts, and that's what we're here to help you do with a list of the early sleepers that we've seen as we've scoured the lists of rankings as training camp gets underway. And while injuries and training camp battles will no doubt change some of these, it's a good time as any to start thinking sleepers.
So here's a list of some of the names we're intrigued by who could beat out their average draft position (ADP) later on in August when you select your team for the season:
My faith in Bucky Irving has gone way down and here comes a running back who looked really good last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers and who finished inside the top-25 at the position in fantasy. He can catch passes, he can score at the goal line... and he's not going to cost you much on draft day.
The injuries have been a huge concern for the talent former Chiefs running back. But let's imagine for a moment that the Lions don't want to completely overuse Jahmyr Gibbs and that Pacheco can be explosive in limited action. I'm willing to spend a late pick to see if that works out.

#fantasy #draft #we 're #Football

Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has become the second senior governing body official to put Gianni Infantino on blast after claiming he "deceived" staff in going ahead with plans to sell off the World Cup to private investors.
Infantino has faced staunch opposition to his Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) - the name for the commercial entity - with Uefa confirming they will boycott Fifa competitions, including the next World Cup, if plans go ahead.
Concacaf, the confederation of North America and the Caribbean, as well as the Asian Football Confederation have joined Uefa in officially rejecting the proposal, before Infantino's senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro resigned from his post.
Lamour has now given a statement to The **** ociated Press outlining that Fifa staff "deserve better than contempt and intimidation" after being left in the dark about Infantino's privatisation scheme.
"What has been announced in recent days and what has been happening behind the scenes in recent months defies belief and imagination," Lamour said, who has worked closely with Infantino at both Fifa and Uefa.

#fifa #confederation

SEATTLE (AP) — Preliminary testing showed the bullets that killed two bystanders during a shootout at a crowded Seattle food festival last weekend didn't come from the gun a 15-year-old arrested at the scene was seen firing, police said in court documents filed Wednesday.
The teen repeatedly shot an untraceable ghost gun into a crowd, police said, and the King County prosecutor's office filed charges of first-degree ****** ault with a firearm and unlawful possession of a handgun.
In a statement supporting the charges, police said preliminary testing of bullets recovered from the two bystanders killed showed they did not match that weapon.
The shooting in the waning hours of the Bite of Seattle festival near the ****** e Needle left three people dead, including a 19-year-old suspect, and at least four bystanders injured, including a toddler. Police believe it was gang-related, and they continue searching for others who might have been involved.
Police Chief Shon Barnes had previously said there was possibly another person with a gunshot wound that investigators were looking to speak with, but the department said Wednesday there was no eighth victim.

#bystanders #bullets #festival

Football chiefs will consider whether to push for a vote of no confidence on Gianni Infantino following another another day of drastic developments surrounding the embattled Fifa president.
But Infantino's game-breaking Fifa Forward Enterprise plan is described as "not dead yet", with the Swiss official still pushing on with his controversial plans after the global governing body issued another round of "clarifications" overnight.
Sources have even spoken of Infantino continuing on in the office as normal. Meanwhile, many outside his decreasingly small circle are highly curious as to what he is "feeling" right now, as a previously invulnerable position has been left so exposed in a matter of days.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino and US president Donald Trump with the World Cup trophy (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)
Above anything, it's remarkable to think a Fifa president can continue when the most powerful continent have boycotted the World Cup, in Uefa, and two other confederations have at least prepared the ground to follow.

#president #enterprise #swiss #sources

The Bills announced a pair of roster moves on Friday morning.
They have signed cornerback D.J. Miller to their active roster. Safety Wande Owens was waived in a corresponding move.
Miller was undrafted in 2024 and spent time with the Lions and Chiefs before moving on to the UFL the last two seasons. He played for Columbus in 2026 and had 24 tackles, a tackle for loss and three interceptions. He also had two interceptions for Michigan during the 2025 season.
Owens was waived with an injury by the Bills ahead of the 2025 season and returned to the team this year.

#roster #waived #interceptions #Friday

GENEVA (AP) — Two senior FIFA officials criticized Gianni Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan Friday with one resigning as a presidential adviser and a second saying staff were deceived by project that must not go ahead.
Carlos Cordeiro, who represented the soccer body on the White House Task Force for the World Cup, resigned in protest at the private equity plan.
Politics: Fox World Cup **** yst Calls Trump 'The Soccer President'
"I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup," Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker, said in a statement resigning as adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino that urged other senior FIFA staff to speak out.
FIFA's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said in a statement to The **** ociated Press staff were "deceived" by Infantino's lack of openness planning the private investor scheme and "deserve better than contempt and intimidation."

#cordeiro

A former Denver Broncos kick returner is attempting an NFL comeback after failing to catch on in the UFL this spring.
Montrell Washington worked out for the Houston Texans on Thursday, according to the NFL's transaction wire. Washington (5-10, 170 pounds) originally entered the league with the Broncos as a fifth-round pick out of Samford in 2022. He played in 15 games as a rookie, returning 32 punts and 18 kickoffs, but struggled with fumbles, putting the ball on the ground five times in his first season.
Washington was waived by Denver the following summer, and he spent the next two years with the Kansas City Chiefs, primarily on their practice squad. He has not appeared in a regular season NFL game since 2022. He had a stint with the New York Giants last summer, but didn't make the roster.
After that, Washington was picked by the DC Defenders in the United Football League draft in January, but he was cut coming out of training camp. Washington is now hoping to break back into the NFL.
Elsewhere on the ex-Broncos front, pass rusher Andrew Farmer reverted to the San Francisco 49ers' injured reserve list, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived international defensive lineman Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi with a failed physical designation, and wide receiver Jalen Virgil was waived by the Buffalo Bills.

#Broncos #denver

The "NFL Top 100 Players" is an annual NFL offseason tradition. There are a few names from the Kansas City Chiefs expected to make the cut, but there are also many opponents featured in this year's rankings. Player No. 53 is a player they are scheduled to see across from them this coming season.
No. 53 is Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams.
Adams started all 14 games he played for the Rams in 2025; he finished the regular season with 60 receptions for 789 yards and an NFL-high 14 receiving touchdowns. In Week 15, Adams aggravated an injury to his left hamstring and was held out for the remainder of the regular season.
Adams and the Rams will host the Chiefs in Week 13 of the 2026 season on Thursday Night Football, December 3, at SoFi Stadium.
Produced by NFL Films and the X Original Series, the new season of NFL Top 100 features short-form episodes that reveal the league's top players, as voted on exclusively by current NFL players. Episodes debut on X on weekdays through Friday, September 4, and will air later on NFL+, as well as on other NFL-owned and operated social media platforms.

#players #episodes #regular #kansas

On Monday, we covered wide receiver Andrew Armstong's meandering journey from small school Texas A&M – Commerce to Chiefs training camp. Armstrong's work so far at the team's training camp at Missouri Western State University has also caught the eye of The Athletic's Jesse Newell. Newell compared Armstrong's longshot bid to that a year ago of one-time draft bust Tyquan Thornton a year ago.
Armstrong's height offers a profile observers have long wished the Chiefs would add to the wideout rotation. That said, Armstrong has never played a regular season NFL snap is will turn 26 during the coming season.
New Chiefs wideout is following Tyquan Thornton-like path. Will he make the roster? | The Athletic
The 6-foot-4 Armstrong added to his strong offseason Thursday, pulling down a deep contested catch from quarterback Justin Fields during seven-on-sevens as one of the team's top highlights of a rainy practice session.
Chiefs coaches also seem to be taking notice of Armstrong. With receiver Rashee Rice still sitting out live drills as he ramps up after offseason knee surgery, Armstrong received numerous reps with Mahomes and the first-team offense Thursday.

#year

Some NFL preseasons are loaded with the excitement of training camp battles, especially those among quarterbacks vying for the top spot the the depth chart heading into Week 1. This is not going to be one of those preseasons.
After a notably underwhelming quarterback class in the 2026 NFL Draft, there aren't too many starting jobs up for grabs heading into the coming season. Nearly every team has a veteran already entrenched in starting jobs behind center, and only a few teams have even a hint of uncertainty about which quarterback will be their QB1 in Week 1.
Outside of those teams, the most excitement in the lead up to the regular season might come from various quarterbacks' races against the clock to return from injury. Kansas City Chiefs veteran Patrick Mahomes and Denver Broncos third-year Bo Nix each sustained season-ending injuries late last year, though both have stated their desire to be available to start Week 1. A few other quarterbacks outside of the AFC West face similar ticking clocks after their own season-ending injuries.
With roughly two months to go before the start of the 2026 regular season, USA TODAY Sports predicted the starting quarterbacks for all 32 NFL teams in Week 1:
NFL QUARTERBACKS: From the Chiefs to the Jets, ranking every team's QB situation

#outside #preseasons #heading

AC Milan and global sports brand PUMA have revealed the Club's 2026/27 Home Kit: a return to one of football's most iconic aesthetics, the Rossonero visual language in its most classic form.
The 2026/27 Home Kit restores the thick red and black stripes - bold, wide, and unmistakable - running across the full body of the jersey, both front and back, completed by the return of white shorts and black socks. A look that has always stood for itself.
These are not just stripes; they are the defining mark of AC Milan. Every detail reinforces that identity. The inscription 'From Milan to the World' pays tribute to the millions of fans worldwide, capable of making the Club feel at home on every continent. On the back neck, a wax seal enshrines the Rossoneri crest: the essence of AC Milan, imprinted on every shirt as its authentic signature, a timeless passage handed down from parent to child. Together, they make this shirt a love letter to all who claim it as their own.
Maikel Oettle, Chief Revenue Officer of AC Milan, said: "This kit goes back to the core of who we are. It's a design you immediately recognise and feel part of - essential, iconic, and unmistakably AC Milan. These stripes don't tell a story. They are the story. And it belongs to every Rossonero, wherever they are."
Maria Kiebacher, PUMA Director Product Line Management - Teamsport Apparel, said: "The thick stripes are the soul of this kit: a design that carries decades of history and still hits with the same force today. When something is this embedded in football culture, it doesn't need reinvention. It needs to be honoured and brought to life with everything the game demands of it."

#back

Picture this: It's December 2033. Puerto Rico's "Huracan Azul," ("Blue Hurricane"), the national soccer team in a country better known for baseball, basketball, and boxing, face off against Scotland in the Deutsche Bank Men's World Cup, brought to you by Fanatics—your home for World Cup swag. Until this winter, Puerto Rico had never qualified for a major tournament; Scotland, meanwhile, had never qualified for the knockout round in a World Cup. As the teams kick off play at Saudi Arabia's NEOM, you idly watch, wondering if an upset will take place.
It won't; Scotland quickly score once, twice, three times. The score is 4–0 by the time the referee whistles for the Michelob ULTRA Hydration Break to take place. It's 5–0 at halftime; Puerto Rico scores a consolation goal before the second hydration break, but the Scots hang three more in the final minutes as the game finishes 8–1. As the game ends, bored spectators streaming out, the camera briefly flashes on the luxury boxes. A grinning Gianni Infantino, the FIFA commissioner, mugs obscenely with the Saudi king and other potentates. History, of a kind, has happened.
If you see nothing wrong with this, you're probably either one of Infantino's staffers or a blood relation. Certainly, Infantino thinks such a display would be amazing. According to The Times of London, the FIFA chief is working closely with Thrive Capital's Joshua Kushner (brother of Jared Kushner!) and JP Morgan on a proposition that would all but radically transform the men's and women's World Cups as we know them, and not coincidentally shovel millions into his acquisitive little mittens. The proposal—now roundly condemned by virtually everyone who's heard about it, including Britain's new prime minister—involves creating a private company that would control the World Cups. Each of FIFA's 211 national member ****** ociations would have a financial stake, estimated at around $20 million each. The Times estimates that the company would be valued at around $20 billion.
The report makes for wild reading. Now, stop for a moment. Think of how quickly and quietly this whole thing went from "consultations" to a set of signed, nonbinding agreements. This isn't an idle contrivance, set for a slow burn; banks like JP Morgan and people like Kushner don't engage in that kind of deal. This is a fast-moving plan of action, set in motion before anyone outside of FIFA's holiest of holies in Zurich even knew what was going down.
Suffice it to say: It's a spectacularly bad idea. The pressure to expand the World Cups, to play them every other year, or even annually, would be immense. The arm twisting to turn them into something that would make college bowl season look staid and decorous would be even greater.

#World #cups #times

Other NFL team previews: 32. Dolphins | 31. Jets | 30. Cardinals | 29. Browns | 28. ******* ans | 27. Raiders | 26. Falcons | 25. Giants | 24. Saints | 23. Panthers | 22. Buccaneers | 21. Colts | 20. Steelers | 19. Vikings | 18. Commanders | 17. Bengals | 16. Jaguars | 15. Packers | 14. Chargers | 13. 49ers | 12. Chiefs | 11. Bears | 10. Texans | 9. Eagles | 8. Cowboys | 7. Ravens | 6. Lions | 5. Patriots
Among the countless interesting tidbits in an ESPN story shadowing Sean Payton for a week before last season's AFC Championship game was one of Payton's "playoff myths" he shared with the team.
The myth he showed his players was, "We'll Be Back Next Year." Payton followed that by telling the team, "Nothing is promised."
The Denver Broncos had a remarkable season with a weird ending. Not long after the Broncos beat the Buffalo Bills in one of the most thrilling games of last postseason, Payton returned to the podium and shared with the media that Bo Nix had broken his ankle and was out for the rest of the season, including the AFC championship game.
The Broncos battled in that AFC ******* le game against the Patriots with Jarrett Stidham starting at quarterback, but one massive turnover by Stidham and a questionable fourth-down gamble in the first half, along with a blinding snowstorm in the second half, might have cost them a win and a chance to play in the Super Bowl. As Payton told the team before the game, being in that position might not happen again.

#team

By Nora Eckert
DETROIT, July 30 (Reuters) - Ford CEO Jim Farley told employees in a town hall on Thursday that the company is preparing for the possibility that Chinese automakers could enter the American market in the ‌next five to 10 years, even though the country has erected numerous trade barriers to cars from China, ‌according to three people who viewed the meeting.
Farley has been among the most vocal about how competitive Chinese auto giants like BYD are in the industry. Ford is preparing to roll out a family of affordable electric vehicles that it engineered from the ground up to match the cost and efficiency of the Chinese companies.
The Ford chief, along with other senior leaders, said in a question-and-answer portion of the town hall that it is more likely Chinese companies would enter the market at the latter end of that range. The comments come as the ‌U.S. Senate is pushing to expand a ⁠ban on Chinese car sales in the world's second-largest and most lucrative auto market.
A Ford spokesperson declined to comment on discussions that took place during a private meeting with employees.

#chinese #ford #market

Truck manufacturer PACCAR reported higher second-quarter profit on essentially flat revenue on Tuesday, noting build rates climbed during the period as orders strengthened and freight rates improved.
PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR) reported second-quarter earnings of $1.43 per diluted share, 6 cents higher from a year earlier. Net income of $752 million was up 4 percent from a year earlier and 24 percent better than the first quarter.
Revenue of $7.55 billion was essentially flat year over year, up less than 1 percent from $7.51 billion.
The profit came on lower volume. It's a split that captures where Class 8 truck demand sits. PACCAR delivered 38,700 trucks globally in the quarter, down about 2 percent year over year. U.S. and Canada deliveries fell to 22,000 from 23,000 units. Record parts revenue and a nearly 17 percent year-over-year increase in truck segment pretax profit carried the result.
"PACCAR achieved very good revenues and increased net income by 24% in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the preceding quarter," said Preston Feight, PACCAR chief executive officer, in a news release. "Build rates increased during the quarter due to strong orders as customers benefited from PACCAR's industry-leading trucks and improved freight rates."

#paccar #second #profit

Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results and issued an upbeat third-quarter outlook, driven by robust demand for AI-related data communications products and contributions from recent acquisitions. The company's shares rose around 7% in premarket trading following the announcement.
The connector manufacturer posted adjusted earnings of $1.35 per share, comfortably ahead of Wall Street's consensus estimate of $1.16.
Revenue increased to $8.76 billion from $5.65 billion a year earlier, surpassing ****** ysts' expectations of $8.19 billion. Organic sales grew 30% during the quarter, while orders reached a record $10.7 billion, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1.23.
Amphenol said exceptional demand for its IT datacom products continued to support strong performance as investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerated.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer R. Adam Norwitt highlighted the company's broad-based momentum across multiple end markets, led by outstanding organic growth within its IT datacom business.

#billion #amphenol #organic #wall

As we are all well aware of, it has been an interesting summer for Juventus and their new CEO, Giovanni Carnevali. The transfer window has been one that has been slow to develop, but it's also one in which the majority of the Bianconeri's signings thus far have been ones in which we haven't really seen coming. That, of course, doesn't involve the long-standing negotiations that multiple Juve sporting chiefs had with Paris Saint-Germain for striker Randal Kolo Muani, a deal that is actually about to cross the finish line.
No, really. It is. Juventus are about to sign Kolo Muani after Carnevali reportedly got things done earlier this week.
We also know this because Carnevali himself told us that same exact thing during an interview on Thursday night in which he touched on Kolo Muani and the big surprise that came shortly after news broke of there being an agreement with the two-time defending European champions: the deal for Bosnian teenager Kerim Alajbegović.
On Kolo Muani front, Carnevali said the following:
"We're finalizing the deal for Kolo Muani now. It's been a long-running negotiation. When I arrived at Juve, I read the newspapers and thought it was a done deal, but it wasn't. There were some difficulties, and we needed to mend relations with PSG, remedying previous problems. We're finalizing the deal right now and we're in the final phase."

#carnevali #deal #juventus #really

Wall Street is taking center stage in financing the AI buildout. On July 28, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: META) and ****** et ‌manager BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) announced a venture to develop and operate a one gigawatt data center campus in El Paso, Texas. The project, costing about $14 billion in development, marks the emergence of a new financing playbook for the AI infrastructure boom.
The overwhelming cost of the AI infrastructure build out is prompting tech giants to go beyond self-funding, raising tens of billions of dollars in debt and tapping ****** et managers such as BlackRock for capital.
Last year, the tech giant spent $72.2 billion on capex, up roughly $30 billion from the year before. For 2026, it has projected capital expenditure between $125 billion and $145 ‌billion, up from its prior forecast of $115 billion to $135 billion. According to Chief Financial Officer Susan Li, the increase related to higher component pricing and additional data center costs tied to AI infrastructure.
This brings us to the question: Does the deal meaningfully reduce the cost of Meta's AI buildout?
As per Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: META), BlackRock-managed funds will take an 80% ownership stake in the venture, while the tech giant will retain the remaining 20%. A part of BlackRock's investment will be financed through $12.5 billion in debt, while Meta will also ⁠receive a $1 billion distribution to align ownership.

#platforms #NASDAQ

Most Valuable Promotions and Professional Fighters League on Thursday announced a merger "bringing together world-class boxing, MMA, live events, athlete development, and worldwide content distribution under one fighter-first organization, creating a combat sports company for the new era."
The combined company will operate under the MVP banner. It will be led by Co-Founders and Board Members Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, with John Martin serving as CEO and Board Member.
""Since launching MVP, our goal has always been bigger than just building a boxing promotion. It has been to build the future of combat sports. In less than five years, MVP has become one of the most influential and culturally relevant brands in the industry, producing some of the biggest events in combat sports history, elevating women's boxing to unprecedented heights, and bringing millions of new fans into the fight game. The success of MVP MMA's first event confirmed our belief that there is enormous demand for a modern, fighter-first approach to MMA. This merger accelerates our MMA ambitions while strengthening our ability to continue investing in boxing and MVPW. By combining MVP's audience-building engine, storytelling capabilities, and brand with PFL's roster, infrastructure, and international footprint, we are creating a new global home for combat sports. Under the leadership of John Martin, a world-class media executive with deep MMA knowledge, and investment from leading financiers 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital, MVP is going to achieve great things for fighters, fans, and partners," said Nakisa Bidarian, Co-founder and Board Member of Most Valuable Promotions.
"Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world's No. 2 global MMA company, **** embling one of the sport's most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 broadcast and streaming partners, reaching fans in more than 170 countries. At the same time, MVP has redefined how combat sports connects with a new generation of fans, creating events that become cultural moments and proving that athletes, sports, entertainment and creators can all thrive together. This merger brings scale - in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development and in fan engagement. We're not just combining companies, we're bringing an entire combat sports community together and creating a more powerful platform to accelerate growth. One company, one global stage, millions of fans and we're only just getting started. I'm excited to work with Jake and Nakisa as we build the future of combat sports together, and I'm deeply grateful for the continued confidence and support of our lead investors, 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management," John Martin, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of the new company, said.
"We started MVP to disrupt a broken model. We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernized stage to

Bitcoin is still in the middle of a bear market. It's trading 49% off its record (as of July 28).
Consequently, Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) is also feeling the pain, with shares 80% below their peak. But the management team gave investors some hope, helping manage what has been a difficult period.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Phong Le, who has been the company's chief executive officer since 2022, said that the most valuable cryptocurrency's price could drop all the way to $8,000-$10,000, about an 86% decline, before causing potential stress on the balance sheet.
Here's why he's right.

#flashing #strategy #mstr #missed

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday officially unveiled the 12 host venues for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, confirming the cities across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia that will stage the 50-over showpiece when it returns to Africa for the first time in 24 years.

The announcement was made during a grand ceremony in Johannesburg, where the ICC also revealed the tournament's official brand identity, 'Three Nations, One Heartbeat', symbolising the shared spirit of optimism, diversity and unity among the three co-hosts.

The 14th edition of the World Cup will feature 57 matches and 14 teams, with eight cities in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe, and Namibia's capital Windhoek selected as host venues.

The tournament marks Africa's first Men's ODI World Cup since the 2003 edition, which was jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
ICC chairman Jay Shah described the venue announcement as a major milestone on the road to the global tournament.

"This marks an exciting milestone on the road to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The unveiling of the host cities and the tournament brand signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport's biggest global events," he said.

Shah also highlighted the significance of bringing cricket's flagship ODI tournament back to Africa.

"The return of this prestigious tournament to Africa after 24 years is a landmark moment for cricket. We are confident that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will deliver an unforgettable event, showcasing the warmth, passion and rich diversity that make this region truly unique," he added.

ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said the event would celebrate both cricket and the continent's unique identity.

"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup represents the legacy and spectacle of Limited Overs Cricket," he said. "It also marks the return of the pinnacle event to Africa after more than two decades and will celebrate a continent defined by extraordinary people, vibrant cultures, breathtaking experiences and deep love for Sport."

Gupta added that the tournament's vibrant branding reflects the energy of the host nations while inspiring future generations of fans.
The 2027 edition will be built around the African philosophy of 'Ubuntu' — "I am, because we are" — and the campaign theme 'Make the Circle Bigger', celebrating compassion, togetherness and cultural diversity across the region's 29 officially recognised languages.

The tournament logo draws inspiration from the traditional African wire bowl, while its colour palette includes shades such as Zimbabwe Chilli, African Root, Fynbos Pop, Namib Dune, Harare Dawn and Two Oceans.

The 2027 edition will feature a three-stage competition format.

It will feature 57 matches and a three-stage format designed to increase competitiveness. Teams ranked 12th to 14th will first compete in a Super Series, with the winner

TMZ founder Harvey Levin defended Dr. Anthony Fauci against a right-wing "witch hunt" after congressional Republicans grilled him about private diary entries from the COVID era that were leaked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday.
Opening his nearly five-minute statement saying he rarely uses TMZ to "vent personal feelings," Levin told viewers, "Watching Anthony Fauci before a congressional hearing taking the Fifth Amendment is just one of the most heartbreaking things I have seen in government in my lifetime."
While Levin said he did have problems with the way that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "handled COVID," he added that he didn't think it was done "maliciously" but out of an abundance of caution.
Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost.
He went on to call Fauci, who served as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022 before stepping into the role of chief medical adviser to the president in 2021, an "amazing public servant" for decades, noting how the work he did during the AIDS crisis of the late 80s and early 90s "really saved lives."

#fauci #covid #republicans

This story was originally published on Restaurant Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Restaurant Dive newsletter.
Name: Ryan Moore
New ****** le: Chief financial officer, Whataburger
Previous ****** le: Chief financial officer, MOJO Family of Brands
Ryan Moore will begin his tenure as Whataburger's chief financial officer on July 31, according to a Tuesday press release. Moore will oversee the growing burger brand's finance efforts.

#financial

Scale AI announced Thursday that its board of directors has appointed Francis deSouza as chief executive officer, effective Aug. 10, 2026. At Google Cloud, deSouza held the roles of chief operating officer and president of security products before taking on the CEO position at Scale.
Before joining Google Cloud, deSouza served as president and CEO of Illumina, a publicly traded genomics company, where the company's revenue grew to more than $4.5 billion and its operations expanded across more than 150 countries, Scale said. His earlier career included a stint as president of products and services at Symantec, and he founded two startups that Microsoft and Symantec each went on to acquire. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT.
deSouza replaces Jason Droege, who has led Scale as interim CEO since June 2025. Droege will work with deSouza over the coming months to ****** ist with the transition, the company said.
"Scale sits at a rare intersection of frontier model development and real-world deployment, and the opportunity for continued growth and success is enormous," deSouza said in a statement. "My focus will be getting Scale's solutions into more businesses and governments, delivering the best data for AI labs, and showing our value through provable outcomes."
Scale AI founder Alexandr ****** , who now serves as chairman of the board, said in a statement that deSouza "has led and scaled complex, technical businesses, and understands what it takes to serve both enterprises and governments at the highest level of trust and reliability."

#scale

Cricket, archery and shooting are among the sports well placed to regain their spot at the Commonwealth Games in India in 2030.
Only 10 sports were included in the ongoing Glasgow Games because of the rushed build-up after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out as hosts.
Discussions on the sporting programme remain ongoing between Commonwealth Sport, sporting federations and the Indian organising committee for the next Games, which will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Commonwealth Sport chief executive Katie Sadlier would not be drawn on the process but India Olympic ***** ociation's Raghu Iyer said: "There are many sports who will feel they have missed out.
"There are sports in which India has done very well, shooting, archery and many other sports."

#commonwealth #games #archery

Other NFL team previews: 32. Dolphins | 31. Jets | 30. Cardinals | 29. Browns | 28. ****** ans | 27. Raiders | 26. Falcons | 25. Giants | 24. Saints | 23. Panthers | 22. Buccaneers | 21. Colts | 20. Steelers | 19. Vikings | 18. Commanders | 17. Bengals | 16. Jaguars | 15. Packers | 14. Chargers | 13. 49ers | 12. Chiefs | 11. Bears | 10. Texans | 9. Eagles | 8. Cowboys | 7. Ravens | 6. Lions
There aren't many teams through NFL history who won 14 games and a conference championship.
The list of Super Bowl participants who won 14 games and then were ignored like the New England Patriots were this offseason might be a party of one.
It seems odd. The Patriots had a magnificent season with new coach Mike Vrabel, who won NFL Coach of the Year. Quarterback Drake Maye would have won NFL MVP in his second NFL season had just one voter flipped his or her first-place vote from Matthew Stafford to him. Typically, that profile gets hyped up all offseason as the next in line to win a Super Bowl or two. Instead, the most you've heard about the Patriots this offseason had to do with Vrabel's off-field missteps.
The Patriots being dismissed started late last season, when talk of strength of schedule crept into the conversation in a way it rarely has in NFL circles. It was the third easiest by DVOA since 1978, according to Aaron Schatz of FTN Fantasy, with only the 1991 Bills and 1999 Rams having an easier schedule. The chatter about strength of schedule probably cost Maye the MVP award. It was also probably overdone.

#offseason

A general view of the inside of GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium as Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Algeria on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The NFL has typically rewarded Super Bowls to cities building new stadiums — even if it's a smaller, midwestern city like Minneapolis, which hosted the 2018 game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
But even though the Kansas City Chiefs will be playing in a glitzy, $3 billion dome in 2031, owner Clark Hunt acknowledged the difficulty in landing a Super Bowl because six other teams are also slated to have new stadiums by then.
Kansas City's hosting of the World Cup, though, bolstered the city's chances.
"Not only did we pull it off, we dominated," Chiefs president Mark Donovan said. "That puts us on a different level now."

#fifa #Argentina #World

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton spoke with reporters after practice on Wednesday at Missouri Western State University. He expressed his appreciation for being named a new inductee into the Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.
"Coming from Texas, Coach (Barry) Odom took a chance on me. I was offered about two weeks before signing day, so I told him, man-to-man, I'm going to give this program everything I've got for giving me a chance. Looking back on it - what is it? from nine years ago on the first day in the building," said Bolton, "So yeah, super proud. Super proud to be a the true son in the University of Missouri. This place has been my home, let me be myself, allowed me to grow into my own and grow into a man. So yeah, man, I was super excited."
Bolton had another impressive season in 2025, leading the Chiefs with 154 total tackles, along with a sack and an interception. He was selected as an alternate for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games. During his college football career at Missouri, Bolton was named First-Team All-SEC in 2019 and 2020 and Second-Team All-American in 2020.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs LB Nick Bolton comments on a significant offseason announcement

#missouri #named

People over the last couple of weeks have been ***** on each other about their college teams getting a sponsorship patch on their jerseys a la soccer teams. Yes, it is a great way to earn extra money and also a decent collaboration with the right companies. Whether or not Nebraska will get there, well that remains to be seen.
IF Nebraska goes that route, I don't want it to be just one patch. I want to go full-on NASCAR uniform style. I want as many ***** Nebraska based companies on there as possible. Steer straight into the skid. Make it look as ridiculous as possible, with Matt Rhule having to do post-game interviews thanking all of our sponsors. It would be great to do so much shameless plugging for our "fly-over" state.
Some of these I would change…Caterpillar for instance would have to be Case IH. It would absolutely need to have Kool-Aid. You can't forget about Berkshire Hathaway, Chief Industries, The Buckle, Hornady, Union Pacific, Cash-Wa Distributing, Fairbury Brand Hot Dogs and Dorothy Lynch dressing. So many Nebraska based companies people! Let me know what you think, including why I should be ashamed of myself. In the meantime, here are your flakes…
Nebraska Football's Four Position Battles That Will Define the 2026 Season
Steer into the skid…

#Nebraska #based