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--IRELAND-US

DESCRIPTION: CINCINNATI — The U.S. women’s national team plays Ireland at TQL Stadium. Upcoming: 400 words. Game starts at 3 p.m. ET

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 3:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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SOC--GOLD CUP-GUATEMALA-CANADA

DESCRIPTION: MINNEAPOLIS — Canada plays Guatemala in the first of two Gold Cup quarterfinal matches at U.S. Bank Stadium. By Dave Campbell. 300 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 4:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

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BKL--SPARKS-PARKER JERSEY RETIRED

DESCRIPTION: LOS ANGELES — Candace Parker has her jersey retired by the Los Angeles Sparks, the team that drafted her out of Tennessee in 2008 and where she spent 13 seasons, including winning one of her three WNBA championships. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos. Begins 4 p.m. ET.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 4:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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CAR--NASCAR--ELLIOTT-COMEBACK

DESCRIPTION: HAMPTON, Ga. -- Back-to-back top-five finishes, followed by a last-lap pass and drought-breaking victory on Saturday night establishes Chase Elliott as a force once again in the NASCAR Cup Series. The fact that the win came at his home Atlanta track just makes the breakout victory that much sweeter for Elliott. By Charles Odum. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 5:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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GLF--LPGA TOUR

DESCRIPTION: MIDLAND, Mich. — Seeking their first LPGA Tour victories, Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela took the lead into the final round of the Dow Championship team event. UPCOMING: 35O words.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 7:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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SOC--GOLD CUP-COSTA RICA-US

DESCRIPTION: MINNEAPOLIS — The U.S. men’s national team plays Costa Rica in a Gold Cup quarterfinal match at U.S. Bank Stadium. By Dave Campbell. 300 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 7:00 p.m. EDT, Text, Photo

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GLF--ROCKET CLASSIC

DESCRIPTION: DETROIT — Aldrich Potgieter, the PGA Tour’s youngest player and its biggest hitter, enters the final round at the Rocket Classic with a two-shot lead. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 8 p.m.

UPCOMING: By 06/29/2025 8:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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BKN--BEASLEY-INVESTIGATION

NBA free agent Malik Beasley under investigation regarding gambling allegations, AP source says

SUMMARY: NBA free agent Malik Beasley is under investigation by the U.S. District Attorney’s office regarding gambling allegations tied to league games, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the matter. “We are cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement released to the AP and other outlets on Sunday. The probe into Beasley comes 14 months after the NBA banned Toronto’s Jontay Porter, who was linked to a prop bet investigation and eventually pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud.

WORDS: 547 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 1:41 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:01ac1407f1db21d8c82079cee0b1cf9b&mediaType=text

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BBM--RABBIT-FIRST PITCH

Minor league team in Reno has a rabbit throw out the ceremonial first pitch

SUMMARY: A minor league team had a rabbit throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The rabbit is named Alex the Great. He had some help from a pitching machine. Alex has become a bit of a sensation on social media. According to MLB.com, he was rescued from a meat farm in California and adopted. He’s now a certified therapy rabbit who visits hospitals and charity events. Alex also visited the broadcast booth at the game.

WORDS: 119 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 1:36 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:88c76c18035988db227cf0990af4673a&mediaType=text

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SOC--CWC-PLAYER BURNOUT

French soccer union blasts Club World Cup over ‘massacre’ of player welfare

SUMMARY: France’s union of professional soccer players has launched a scathing attack on the Club World Cup, saying it is “urgent to stop this massacre” amid ongoing concerns about extreme player workloads. The UNFP also accused FIFA president Gianni Infantino of living “in an Ivory Tower” by ignoring the impact congested calendars have on players worldwide. The UNFP statement said the timing of the Club World Cup, at the end of an already exhausting season, also ignores “collective bargaining agreements” whereby players need at least three weeks rest between seasons. Days before the start of the month-long Club World Cup soccer chiefs faced renewed calls to safeguard players over growing fears of injuries and burnout.

WORDS: 615 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 1:34 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f9a9c4ae55edcf303b1b583ee80149f9&mediaType=text

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HKN--FREE AGENCY PREVIEW

NHL free agency frenzy: Salary cap jump fuels an unpredictable market

SUMMARY: NHL free agency has an unpredictable feel with the salary cap getting its biggest jump in history and a lack of high-end talent hitting the market. That’s especially the case if a team acquires Mitch Marner’s rights and signs him to the same kind of big-money contract back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida did with playoff MVP Sam Bennett. The cap is going from $88 million to $95.5 million and yet there may be no unrestricted free agents available who had more than 70 points last season.

WORDS: 1038 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 12:23 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6368c675dbff29215f132895f21e8cab&mediaType=text

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CAR--F1-VERSTAPPEN

F1 champ Max Verstappen says his ‘mentality doesn’t change’ after a big blow to his title defense

SUMMARY: After days of speculation he might leave Red Bull for Mercedes, Max Verstappen got a closer look at a Mercedes car than he wanted. The defending Formula 1 champion’s Austrian Grand Prix lasted less than half a lap as he was knocked out of the race by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. It followed an eventful week for Verstappen. He was off the pace in qualifying and seventh on the grid. Antonelli’s teammate George Russell suggested on Thursday Verstappen may be holding talks with Mercedes on a possible future move.

WORDS: 415 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 12:05 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8ffdef2d97372aaa15fcbb8b43a047b4&mediaType=text

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BKN--LAKERS-JAMES

LeBron James formally opts in for a 23rd season, will make $52.6M in 2025-26, AP source says

SUMMARY: LeBron James is exercising his $52.6 million option with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2025-26, further confirming that he will become the first player in NBA history to play a 23rd season, a person with knowledge of the decision said Sunday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither James nor the team announced the decision publicly. ESPN and The Athletic were among those to first report the decision. James turns 41 in December. He’s been an All-NBA pick in 21 of his 22 seasons in the league.

WORDS: 398 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 11:51 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:19001794ae96883055b557e69e7ff38e&mediaType=text

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TEN--WIMBLEDON

Carlos Alcaraz loves playing on grass and is trying to win a third Wimbledon title in a row

SUMMARY: Carlos Alcaraz’s first match on a grass court came just six years ago. He’s obviously a quick study. When Wimbledon gets started Monday, the 22-year-old from Spain will play in the first Centre Court match of this fortnight, an honor reserved for the previous year’s men’s champion. The contest against Fabio Fognini will open Alcaraz’s bid for a third consecutive championship at the All England Club. That’s something only four men have achieved in the Open era, which began in 1968: Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz comes in on a career-best 18-match winning streak.

WORDS: 716 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 10:42 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:aa1576cc5425a6f0fa7d19752a7b7602&mediaType=text

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TEN--WIMBLEDON-CONFIDENT QUALIFIER

Sabalenka’s Wimbledon foe is Carson Branstine, a qualifier from California, Canada and Texas A&M

SUMMARY: There are plenty of tennis players who might be daunted by the prospect of making their Grand Slam debut against someone ranked No. 1 and in a big stadium. Carson Branstine, though, is embracing the circumstances she’ll find herself in Monday when she faces Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon’s No. 1 Court. The 24-year-old Branstine is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen. She was born in California and represents Canada, where her mother is from. She helped Texas A&M win the 2024 NCAA title. She is ranked just inside the top 200, but made it into the women’s bracket at the All England Club by winning three matches in qualifying.

WORDS: 676 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 10:08 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:38af4505458c4b2821efc1b0913b3791&mediaType=text

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MMA--UFC 317

Ilia Topuria makes case for being UFC’s pound-for-pound best with first-round KO of Charles Oliveira

SUMMARY: Ilia Topuria continued his ascension up the pound-for-pound ladder with a major statement via a vicious first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira to win the vacant lightweight championship at UFC 317. Topuria used a devastating right hand before finishing with a left hook to drop Oliveira and end the bout at the 2:27 mark of the opening round, fulfilling his prediction of a first-round KO while sending the announced crowd of 19,800 into a frenzy. Topuria (17-0), who now has 10 first-round finishes to his credit, moved up to the 155-pound weight class following a successful campaign in the featherweight division last year.

WORDS: 680 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 6:48 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f836c0966017f9193932ff9e97e54cfd&mediaType=text

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BOX--PAUL-CHAVEZ

Jake Paul beats former middleweight champ Julio César Chávez Jr. by unanimous decision

SUMMARY: Jake Paul has beaten former middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. by unanimous decision. The YouTuber-turned-boxer dominated the early rounds Saturday night before holding on against Chávez’s late-round rally. Paul appeared to be taking the biggest risk of his unique boxing career by facing his most accomplished opponent in the 39-year-old Chávez, and doing it in front of an ardently pro-Chávez crowd. Chávez stepped into the ring at Honda Center and looked lifeless, barely throwing a punch until late in the fourth round. He got going late, but Paul hung on and cruised to victory.

WORDS: 971 - MOVED: 06/29/2025 2:40 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:91423402e1e4f69858044a650932f972&mediaType=text

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MOVING TOMORROW

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TEN--WIMBLEDON

LONDON — Coverage of Day 1 at Wimbledon on Monday. By Howard Fendrich.

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SOC--CWC

Coverage of the Club World Cup, FIFA’s newly expanded competition for the top soccer clubs across the globe.

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