Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.

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UPCOMING

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SOC--WORLD CUP COVERAGE

FORMATS: Photo, Video, Text, LiveVideo

1. WITH: SOC--WCUP-SOC--WCUP-FRANCE-DESCHAMPS

2. DESCRIPTION: France coach Didier Deschamps is back with Les Bleus for their round of 32 match against Sweden at the World Cup on Tuesday after traveling to Europe for his mother’s funeral. By Ronald Blum. 630 words, photos.

3. UPCOMING: By 06/29/2026 4:30 p.m. EDT

4. WITH: SOC--WCUP-BETTING

5. DESCRIPTION: France and Argentina are favored to win the World Cup as the knockout stage gets going.

6. UPCOMING: By 06/29/2026 7:00 p.m. EDT

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CAR--NASCAR-SVG

DESCRIPTION: With his eighth win in 15 starts on road and street courses, Shane van Gisbergen revived his hopes of making the Chase in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Trackhouse Racing driver, who entered NASCAR three years ago without any oval experience, knows he’ll need to shore up his results on the left-turn circuit to make the 10-race title run. The season’s final 18 races will take place exclusively on ovals. By Nate Ryan. Text, race photos.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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BKN--MAVERICKS-MAY

DESCRIPTION: The Dallas Mavericks introduce Dusty May after picking the coach of national champion Michigan to make the jump to the NBA from college. By Schuyler Dixon.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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BKN--NBA-FREE AGENCY

Free agency starts Tuesday in NBA, and LeBron James has all eyes on him once again

SUMMARY: LeBron James is once again the focus of NBA free agency. Sixteen years after his move to Miami, his decision this summer is highly anticipated. Free agency begins Tuesday evening, and James’ future is a top storyline. Retirement seems unlikely, so he might return for a record 24th season. His options include staying with the Lakers, returning to Miami or Cleveland or even joining Golden State. Draymond Green has declined his option with the Warriors, possibly to entice James. Meanwhile, trades and deals already are shaping teams, with more expected in the coming days.

WORDS: 798 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 1:36 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:aee1c915e2ad3c069eb2b4683a1cc76e&mediaType=text

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TEN--WIMBLEDON

Defending champion Sinner comes back to beat Kecmanovic in 5 sets in 1st round of Wimbledon

SUMMARY: Defending champion Jannik Sinner had to come back from a set down twice and regain his composure following a worrisome tumble to the grass in a five-set victory over 50th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of Wimbledon. A month after his French Open meltdown the top-ranked Sinner produced a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 win that lasted 3 hours and 30 minutes in the honorary opening match on Centre Court reserved for the past year’s men’s singles champion. Sinner hadn’t played an official match since he struggled with dizziness during a heat wave in a second-round loss at Roland Garros. The match with Kecmanovic was played in ideal conditions with sunny skies and the temperature 24 degrees Celsius (75 Fahrenheit).

WORDS: 862 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 1:08 p.m. EDT. Will be updated throughout day.

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3d7ccb31245aaa1b00930c66bea616bb&mediaType=text

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TEN--WIMBLEDON-OSAKA

Naomi Osaka wows Wimbledon crowd with kimono inspired by Lucy Liu’s character in ‘Kill Bill’

SUMMARY: Wimbledon’s strict rules about all-white clothing didn’t prevent Naomi Osaka from making another fashion statement as she walked onto the grass at the All England Club. Osaka, who has made a habit of creating a buzz with her creative outfits at recent Grand Slam tournaments, wore a flowing kimono with elaborate embroidery as she walked onto No. 3 Court for her first-round match against Elsa Jacquemot. Osaka won 6-1, 7-5 and said she got the inspiration for the outfit from a ‘Kill Bill’ character O-Ren Ishii played by actress Lucy Liu. The Japanese player’s latest creation drew a rave reaction from the crowd. One female fan shouted “C’mon queen!” as Osaka walked out.

WORDS: 533 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 1:01 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:daf02cfa72d9381a2a088b6ce5e98225&mediaType=text

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GLF--TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Viktor Hovland wins Travelers in Monday playoff when Scheffler misses short birdie putt

SUMMARY: Viktor Hovland needed only one hole to beat Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the Travelers Championship. They were tied Sunday night after Scheffler made a clutch 8-footer for par to force the extra holes, but it was too dark to keep going. Hovland hit his approach to 6 feet on the 18th in the playoff after Scheffler had stuffed his shot into 4 feet. Hovland curled in his birdie putt. Scheffler missed on the high side of the cup. It’s Hovland’s first win since March 2025. Scheffler now has four runner-up finishes since he won to start the season.

WORDS: 894 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 12:50 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bbd6fa39071f20a2184ecd70ff447de9&mediaType=text

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FBC--COLORADO-SANDERS CANCER-FREE

Deion Sanders says he feels like his old self a year after surgery: ‘I consider myself cancer-free’

SUMMARY: University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders says he feels like his younger self again after undergoing surgery to remove his cancerous bladder last year. He considers himself cancer-free, thanks to the robotic surgery that reconstructed his bladder using part of his intestine. Sanders shared his experience recently, highlighting the benefits of robotic surgery, which is less invasive and speeds recovery. Last year, he missed football camps due to cancer treatments. Now, he’s back overseeing offseason training and seems fitter and more energetic.

WORDS: 770 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 12:49 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f9bdd437caaf6d977bed112f653f5e5e&mediaType=text

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US--NBA-GAMBLING CHARGES

Former NBA players Malik Beasley, Ed Davis are latest to be charged in gambling scandal

SUMMARY: Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis have been indicted in the latest round of charges in the government’s gambling investigation. Authorities say Beasley tailored his play while with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024, based on bets on his performance, and others benefited, including Davis. Six people were named in the indictment returned in Brooklyn. Authorities say the scheme involved hundreds of thousands of dollars. There was no immediate comment from lawyers for Beasley and Davis.

WORDS: 624 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 12:19 p.m. EDT. Will be updated.

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7650529136c0a17a1b0d3d09150a71d5&mediaType=text

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SOC--NWSL-GOTHAM-KERR

Gotham signs Australian striker Sam Kerr through the 2030 season

SUMMARY: Australian striker Sam Kerr is joining Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League after spending the past six-plus seasons with Chelsea. Gotham announced signing Kerr on Monday to a deal that will keep her with the team through 2030. The move marks a return to the NWSL for Kerr, who previously played for Sky Blue — which later became Gotham — from 2015-17. She also played for the Chicago Red Stars before moving to Chelsea in November 2019. Kerr remains the league’s top regular-season scorer with 77 career goals.

WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 12:09 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0d71ad0fdaa3d944e9003df906d3263f&mediaType=text

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FBN--CHRIS JOHNSON-ALS

Former NFL RB Chris Johnson, known as CJ2K for his 2,000 yards for Titans in ’09, reveals he has ALS

SUMMARY: Chris Johnson, one of nine players in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three years with the Tennessee Titans, has revealed in a television interview that he has ALS. Johnson is 40. He spent 10 seasons in the league and last played in 2017 for the Arizona Cardinals. Johnson said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that he was diagnosed with the fatal nervous system disease last year. ALS is a neurodegenerative condition that can cause deterioration of the ability to move, speak and breathe.

WORDS: 587 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 12:03 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6b517f1db9099553bce517faf2cbc775&mediaType=text

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BBO--THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL

Alonso reaches 500 consecutive games, and Olson is closing in on the Braves’ franchise record

SUMMARY: Pete Alonso played his 500th consecutive game this week. He already holds the New York Mets’ record of 416, but now that he’s with Baltimore, he has a long way to go to threaten the 2,632 that Cal Ripken Jr. famously played in a row. The only player with a longer active streak is Matt Olson, and unlike Alonso he’s on the verge of breaking his current team’s mark. Olson has played 864 straight games, the last 730 of which have come for the Atlanta Braves. The Braves’ record is held by two-time MVP Dale Murphy at 740.

WORDS: 709 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8c74a89f9fcb3c7f0c7de3586a8905f1&mediaType=text

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SOC--WCUP-GULF FAILURE

Money can’t buy success in World Cup for gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar

SUMMARY: Spending billions of dollars and attracting some of soccer’s biggest stars doesn’t guarantee success at the World Cup. Saudi Arabia is out at the earliest point. Again. Bottom of a group that included tiny Cape Verde, the third-smallest nation ever to compete on this stage and into the knockouts for the first time. By signing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema as part of a spectacular recruitment drive in recent years, Saudi Arabia has been a major disruptor of club soccer. But on the international stage it still has a long way to go eight years out from hosting the World Cup in 2034.

WORDS: 940 - MOVED: 06/29/2026 3:44 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:70ed45ced32897aa3bdf45c28e628fc8&mediaType=text

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MOVING TOMORROW

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SOC--WORLD CUP

Coverage of knockout stage in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

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TEN--WIMBLEDON

Coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

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