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

FORMATS: Video, Text, Photo, LiveVideo

1. WITH: SOC--WCUP-BELGIUM-EGYPT

2. DESCRIPTION: SEATTLE — Egypt faces Belgium in a Group G opener at the World Cup. Belgium is the clear favorite of the group while Egypt boasts superstar Mohamed Salah. By Andrew Destin. 300 words. Photos.

3. UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 3:00 p.m. EDT

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HKW--PWHL-DRAFT-HARVEY

DESCRIPTION: In a PWHL draft class brimming with elite U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning talent, defender Caroline Harvey stands above the rest. Harvey, who capped her career at Wisconsin with college hockey’s MVP honor, won’t say so in leading up to the draft in Detroit on Wednesday. But take it from someone in an ideal position to evaluate the prospects in U.S. coach John Wroblewski. By Hockey Writer John Warwow. 750 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 3:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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SOC--WORLD CUP

FORMATS: Text

4. WITH: SOC--WORLD CUP-SPAIN-CAPE VERDE

5. DESCRIPTION: ATLANTA-European champion Spain opens its World Cup campaign against Cape Verde in Atlanta.

6. UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 3:42 p.m. EDT

7. WITH: SOC--WCUP-FRANCE-SENEGAL REPEAT

8. DESCRIPTION: France’s last World Cup match against Senegal set off dancing in Dakar’s streets. By Ronald Blum. 600 words, photos, 3 p.m.

9. UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 4:00 p.m. EDT

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BBC--COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

FORMATS: Text

10. WITH: BBC--CWS-GEORGIA-OKLAHOMA

11. DESCRIPTION: OMAHA, Neb. -- Georgia and Oklahoma meet at the College World Series, with the winner needing only one more victory to reach the finals. By Eric Olson. 500 words. Game starts 7 p.m. ET.

12. UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 4:00 p.m. EDT

13. WITH: BBC--CWS-ALABAMA-TEXAS

14. DESCRIPTION: OMAHA, Neb. -- Texas, which won two of three against Alabama in the regular sweason, will try to beat the Crimson Tide again in a College World Series elimination game. By Eric Olson. 500 words. Game starts 2 p.m. ET.

15. UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 4:00 p.m. EDT

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GLF--US OPEN

DESCRIPTION: SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. -- The. U.S. Open likes to consider its qualifying as the longest day in golf. The practice rounds can state its case. Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth were among those who have been at Shinnecock Hills all weekend to avoid practice rounds that now take forever in the majors. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. Upcoming: 700 words, photos. With US-Open-Notebook.

UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 4:00 p.m. EDT, Text, Photo

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FBO--FLAG FOOTBALL-NEXT GENERATION

DESCRIPTION: Akemi Higa, a 17-year-old flag football quarterback from Hawaii and Las Vegas, is trying to earn a spot on the U.S. women’s national team. This season, the women’s national team has seen a youthful infusion, with several players under 21. The men’s side, too, is trending younger. The teams are preparing for the IFAF flag football world championships in Germany. By Pat Graham. 800 words, photos by 5 p.m. ET.

UPCOMING: By 06/15/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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US--WCUP-BASE CAMPS

Spain at a Tennessee boarding school, Iraq in a rural West Virginia town: Where World Cup teams live

SUMMARY: As World Cup teams establish training bases across the United States, communities far from the tournament’s host cities are embracing the international spotlight. Spain chose Chattanooga over larger cities including Chicago and Los Angeles, and 25,000 people entered a lottery to watch the team practice in the Tennessee city. Germany’s arrival in Winston-Salem has inspired similar fandom along with German-themed menus, while Iraqi flags flew alongside American ones at West Virginia’s Greenbrier resort. The scenes illustrate how the World Cup’s influence now extends well beyond the stadiums where matches are played.

WORDS: 1162 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 1:43 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:44dc5bfa528d30c253d373fbc1302148&mediaType=text

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BKL--AROUND THE WNBA

New York Liberty are back in the Commissioner’s Cup final, with a familiar Finals pattern

SUMMARY: The New York Liberty have made the Commissioner’s Cup championship twice before and each time the team also made the WNBA Finals. The players didn’t want to think that far ahead after clinching their spot Sunday in the mid-season tournament title game. Still it’s hard to ignore the success considering New York has won seven straight games and finally had their entire roster healthy for the victory over Washington. Las Vegas takes over the top spot after edging Minnesota last week. The Aces were followed by the Lynx and Liberty. A’ja Wilson was the AP player of the week.

WORDS: 604 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 1:36 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d56fb7c4ddc786537a3119524f605923&mediaType=text

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MMA--UFC-FREEDOM 250

Don’t expect a repeat. UFC boss Dana White says ‘never again’ to another White House fight night

SUMMARY: UFC CEO Dana White called fight night at the White House a smashing success. White boasted about merchandise sales and streaming service subscriptions and how UFC surpassed its goals in every metric he could list. White also knows this type of production can’t be duplicated again at the White House. The constant headaches over weather concerns in the rare outdoors show, the logistics of construction of the cage and staging events at federal landmarks and the soaring cost made Freedom 250 a one-off. President Donald Trump watched every fight and said the event was perfect.

WORDS: 791 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 1:29 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1a88cc3a171ce7a2697880bb3ca1e91c&mediaType=text

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BKN--BULLS-SPLITTER

Bulls finalizing hire of Tiago Splitter as coach, AP source says

SUMMARY: A person familiar with the decision says the Chicago Bulls are finalizing a deal to hire Portland Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter as their next head coach. The 41-year-old Splitter joined Chauncey Billups’ staff in Portland last June. He was elevated from assistant to interim coach when Billups was arrested in October in a takedown of a sprawling gambling operation. Splitter coached Portland to a 42-40 record and a five-game loss to San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. He would replace Billy Donovan, who resigned after six seasons. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce the deal with Splitter, which was first reported by ESPN.

WORDS: 346 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 1:14 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:15eab378a2384bcb574807517b28ca48&mediaType=text

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SOC--WCUP-PORTUGAL-RONALDO-FANS

Portugal fans mixed on whether Ronaldo will help or hurt team’s World Cup chances

SUMMARY: It would have been unthinkable at the start of the 2022 World Cup to suggest Cristiano Ronaldo was anything other than the undisputed leader of the Portugal team. But the Qatar edition went poorly for Portugal’s all-time leading scorer. After scoring just once in the group stage he reacted angrily to being substituted against South Korea and was dropped for his team’s first knockout-stage match. Then he didn’t score in the 2024 European Championship. It was the first time he had failed to find the net at a major international tournament. Now, in the buildup to what may be Ronaldo’s World Cup swan song, concerns over what the 41-year-old can deliver are at the forefront of many fans’ minds.

WORDS: 632 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 12:28 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:13071b435662d40190053b9c41ea003a&mediaType=text

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SOC--WCUP-MATCH-OFFICIAL-HAND SIGN

World Cup racism monitor urges FIFA to remove match official over hand gesture on TV broadcast

SUMMARY: FIFA’s discrimination monitor at the World Cup has called for a video review official to be removed for appearing to make a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign. When the official broadcast of Germany’s opening game against Curaçao on Sunday cut pre-game to show the team of video review analysts, Shaun Evans from Australia made an “OK” symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg. In 2019 the gesture was designated as a hate symbol by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League. Fare Network, FIFA’s long-time anti-discrimination partner, says the “OK” sign is a “white power symbol in global far-right circles.”

WORDS: 497 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 11:42 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:16a98fb0164746cd7796e70f849d31ff&mediaType=text

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CAR--NASCAR-HAMLIN-RETIREMENT CONUNDRUM

Denny Hamlin wins again at Pocono, but retirement talk grows louder as 2027 looms

SUMMARY: Denny Hamlin is the oldest full-time driver in NASCAR’s Cup Series at 45 and yet he continues to win races. His current contract with Joe Gibbs Racing runs through 2027. His most recent win was Sunday at Pocono Raceway and Hamlin’s success raises questions about his future. But he remains committed to his two-year contract with Gibbs. He acknowledges the challenges of staying competitive as he ages. Hamlin’s legacy is secure with three Daytona 500 victories and he seems content to make 2027 his final season. Perhaps a championship would change his mind.

WORDS: 840 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 10:20 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5d51a3d69121f9a8671eb333bb496488&mediaType=text

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CAR--F1-HAMILTON’S CHANCES

The factors which could take ‘rebuilt’ Lewis Hamilton to the F1 title after long-awaited win

SUMMARY: A “rebuilt” mind, family and friends, and an innovative car part called the Macarena. These are just some of the building blocks in Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence at the front of the Formula 1 field. The seven-time champion’s breakthrough first win with Ferrari on Sunday, his first since 2024, left him second in the standings and cut into the overall lead of Kimi Antonelli, the driver who replaced Hamilton when he left Mercedes. Getting back to the front has been a long and painful process and Hamilton shed some light on his journey after the win in Spain.

WORDS: 693 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 9:43 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9f7aef7a012af56c892c754d5c60a417&mediaType=text

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HKN--STANLEY CUP-HURRICANE FORCE

Taylor Hall-Logan Stankoven-Jackson Blake line is a big reason Carolina won the Stanley Cup

SUMMARY: The Carolina Hurricanes’ standout second line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake was a big reason they won the Stanley Cup. Their production made up for the power play struggling through the first three rounds and the trio of Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov not scoring at their regular-season levels. Hall is 34, Stankoven is 23 and Blake is 22 and the “Kids and the Hall” line played the kind of hockey coach Rod Brind’Amour demands of his team. They were responsible for two goals in Game 6 of the final to close out the championship.

WORDS: 669 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 9:32 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:443ba1fe19557580e94eba427f67e666&mediaType=text

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BKN--KNICKS-CHAMPIONSHIP RUN

The Knicks made a championship run that will be remembered in New York and in NBA history

SUMMARY: New York was caught up in the Knicks’ championship run for nearly two months and the party will last at least a few days more. The team’s first parade through New York is scheduled for Thursday. The Knicks will be remembered long after the confetti is picked up off the streets of Broadway — and not only in New York. The 2025-26 Knicks have a place in NBA history with dominant performances that set records. They have the longest road winning streak and largest point differential in postseason history.

WORDS: 671 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 9:14 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b86c921cf7116980fe01ff4524cfaf48&mediaType=text

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FBC--COLORADO-SANDERS

Colorado’s Deion Sanders weighs in on wagering as gambling scandal ripples through college football

SUMMARY: Nobody has lived on the edge of the risk-reward nature of sports more than Deion Sanders over the years. One place the Colorado coach won’t go is gambling on the college game, the likes of which has generated a scandal inside the very conference his team resides. Wagering has jumped to the forefront of college football as Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby won a court order early last week that restored his eligibility and set aside a ban by the NCAA for betting on pro and college sports. Colorado plays Big 12 rival Texas Tech on Oct. 3. Sanders missed time in Boulder last spring/summer due to his treatments for bladder cancer. The Buffaloes finished 3-9. Sanders is more hands-on this offseason.

WORDS: 936 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 8:25 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:24a4b6528eec076e3b55065f79511db1&mediaType=text

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HKN--STANLEY CUP-TORTORELLA

Tortorella makes a case to stay after leading Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final

SUMMARY: Golden Knights management already made one major coaching decision. Now they likely will need to make another one. They hired John Tortorella with eight games left in the regular season in a move that included firing Bruce Cassidy. But there were no guarantees Tortorella would remain the coach beyond this season. By taking Vegas all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before the Golden Knights lost in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes, Tortorella would seem to have a good argument to get an extended stay. But he wasn’t ready to think about that following Sunday night’s 3-0 loss.

WORDS: 564 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:12231b03d2cbf583cbc04870ea15b619&mediaType=text

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BBO--THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL

Braden Montgomery’s big debut part of a week that left the White Sox atop the AL Central

SUMMARY: The Chicago White Sox have been one of baseball’s most pleasant surprises this season. With a 38-32 record, they’re atop the AL Central. That’s after losing 102 games last year and a record 121 in 2024. So the vibes were already good when Braden Montgomery showed up for his first major league game Tuesday night. Then he sent a drive to left in the bottom of the 10th for a two-run homer to win the game, 6-5 over the Atlanta Braves. Montgomery became the fifth player to hit a walk-off homer in his debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

WORDS: 592 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f2e3d47415d5681acab6f3b84886dc68&mediaType=text

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SOC-WCUP-SOUTH AMERICA-DISAPPOINTING START

World Cup: South American teams start off on the wrong foot

SUMMARY: South American teams have got off to disappointing start to the World Cup, failing to produce a win in three matches. Ecuador lost to Ivory Coast 1-0 on Sunday in Philadelphia. Brazil drew 1–1 with Morocco on Saturday in East Rutherford and Paraguay was beaten 4–1 by tournament co-host the United States. Uruguay plays its first game Monday against Saudi Arabia and Argentina opens its title defense on Tuesday. The relatively poor start to the tournament by South American teams contrasts to a solid performance by North America on its home soil. Adding to the victory by the U.S., Mexico opened the World Cup with a 2-0 win over South Africa and Canada drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

WORDS: 490 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 3:17 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:282c3fc4ef37b57748f3f6d894a3188f&mediaType=text

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SOC--WCUP-SWEDEN-TUNISIA

Sweden gets 2 goals from Yasin Ayari and pounds Tunisia 5-1 to move atop World Cup Group F

SUMMARY: Yasin Ayari scored twice and Sweden showed it belonged at the 2026 World Cup, pounding Tunisia 5-1 to move atop Group F. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres each had a goal and an assist, and Mattias Svanberg also scored for Sweden, which entered ranked 39th in the world and missed the 2022 World Cup after reaching the quarterfinals eight years ago in Russia. Omar Rekik scored for 45th-ranked Tunisia, which is playing in its seventh World Cup but has never advanced beyond the group stage. Ayari bookended the scoring for the Swedes at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, with long-range goals in the seventh minute and in second-half stoppage time.

WORDS: 394 - MOVED: 06/15/2026 1:50 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f251d0427b271fbbc662ca8607481f68&mediaType=text

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MOVING TOMORROW

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SOC--WORLD CUP

Coverage of group play in the US, Canada and Mexico.