Former Cardinals, Mets champion Ron Taylor dies at 87
Taylor won titles with the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals and the 1969 New York Mets and never allowed a run in postseason play.
In 1969, he was a reliever on the team dubbed the "Miracle Mets" and led the club with 59 appearances. The right-hander had 13 saves with a 2.72 ERA that season. He earned a save in Game 2 of that World Series when he got the final seven outs against the Baltimore Orioles.
In 11 major league seasons, Taylor was 54-43 with 74 saves and a 3.93 ERA in 491 appearances (17 starts) for the Cleveland Indians (1962), Cardinals (1963-65), Houston Astros (1965-66), Mets (1967-71) and San Diego Padres (1972). During the 1964 World Series against the New York Yankees, Taylor threw 4 2/3 hitless innings and earned a save in Game 4.
A native of Toronto, Taylor returned home after his playing days and went to medical school at the University of Toronto. He served as the team physician for the Toronto Blue Jays for three decades before opening a private practice in 2014.
Taylor is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
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The Guardian
31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
US Open mixed doubles: Draper/Pegula into semi-finals after beating Alcaraz/Raducanu
Update: Date: 2025-08-19T22:35:01.000Z Title: Righto, that's us for today. Content: Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud, Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper, Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori and Danielle Collins/Christian Harrison reached the last four Daniel Harris Tue 19 Aug 2025 23.09 BST First published on Tue 19 Aug 2025 15.00 BST 11.35pm BST 23:35 Tumaini Carayol After months of discussion and anticipation, the doubles partnership between Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz came and went in the blink of an eye in front of a well‑populated Arthur Ashe Stadium. 11.09pm BST 23:09 Thanks for your company; join us again tomorrow for the semis and final. 11.08pm BST 23:08 They've been really good, long-time mates delighted to be involved. Next for them: the defending champs, Errani/Vavassori. 11.06pm BST 23:06 Shelton somehow sends long his return of a 65mph second serve from Collins and that's 5-2; she then grabs hold of the next rally, which Harrison finishes with a commanding overhead from on top of the net. Four match points for the alternates… 11.04pm BST 23:04 Townsend/Shelton break back then are broken again, and at 4-1 4-4-4 (4-2), the alternates are three points away. 11.01pm BST 23:01 We've not had a 10-point beaker yet, but we're getting a seven-pointer because Collins has held. If Townsend/Shelton take it, though, we're in business … but theyre mini-broken immediately. 10.56pm BST 22:56 On Armstrong, it's now 4-3 3-3, Collins/Harrison leading Townsend/Shelton; Townsend, the no 1 player in the world, has just held for 3-4 4-3. 10.55pm BST 22:55 Pegula says she and Draper had lots of fun; he's glad to be back competing. Then, asked how he'll prepare for tomorrow and barely able to hear Sloane Stephens' questions, he deadpans 'with total professionalism'. I wonder how the dubs lads no invited will fee about that; I guess they'll understand, but it bears repeating that there's something not right about the big noises taking opportunity and reward from those who need it more, for a bit of fun. Updated at 10.55pm BST 10.51pm BST 22:51 On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead Townsend/Shelton 4-1 2-3. 10.50pm BST 22:50 Errani/Vavassori aside, these have been the best pair so far, but Swiatek/Ruud, whom the meet in the semis, were also impressive. 10.49pm BST 22:49 A quick net pum-pum-pum, then Andreeva then clouts a backhand winner down the line for 0-30; Draper then battles Medvedev from the back, before Pegula interjects at the net to make 30-all. And have a look! From the back, he pastes a backhand winner inside-out into the corner, and that's more match points! 10.47pm BST 22:47 A double from Andreeva hands over 15-all, then Draper climbs into her second serve and catches it too early for her to respond. Pegula, though, goes long for 30-all, but at 30-40 her team have match point … saved with a decent first serve. From there, Andreeva closes out the hold, so Draper will now serve for the match. Updated at 10.49pm BST 10.42pm BST 22:42 At 15-30, Pegula needs to find something and does, a first serve that allows Draper to intercept Andreeva's return at net; thee two look a cohesive unit and, as I type, Pegula slices an approach and Draper again cuts out the riposte with a overhead. The no 1 seeds are a game away at 4-0 3-0. On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead Townsend/Shelton 4-1 1-1. 10.39pm BST 22:39 Now then: Medvedev dumps an overhead to cede deuce then, at the end of a long rally, Draper rams one at Andreeva, who defends well, but drops just long when he goes again. The no 1 seeds lead 4-1 2-0, and are nearing a semi-final meeting with Swiatek/Ruud. 10.36pm BST 22:36 Medvedev curls a lovely forehand winner down the line to put Draper under a bit of pressure at 30-40; my SkyGo then kicks me out, so long has been my session, and returns to let me know he's seen it out. On Armstrong, Collins serves out a 4-1 set, then Shelton races through a defiant hold. 10.32pm BST 22:32 We're still on serve on Armstrong, Collins/Harrison up 2-1. I'm not sure who's doing it, but the co-commentary on that match is really technical and insightful; there were signs of improvement at Wimbledon, but tennis has a long way to go to catch up with other sports in terms of depth of analysis. Anyroad, Townsend is broken and the alternates lead 3-1; they're having a decent day. 10.29pm BST 22:29 It's quickly 0-40 and when Medvedev hoists from the back, he misses the baseline! This set is disappearing quickly, but Draper botches the first chance to make it official by netting a volley then, at 40-30, he and Pegula go for the same ball at the net after good work from both their opponents. At deuce, though, a really fun rally ends when Medvedev goes long, Draper and Pegula both at the back, and they take the first set 4-1. 10.26pm BST 22:26 Draper looks like he could become a really good doubles player – obviously he's got the serve, but his net-play and coverage is also really good. Pegula consolidates the break and that's 3-1. 10.23pm BST 22:23 Pegula/Draper make 15-40 and the latter gets a look at Andreeva's second serve. She goes body, pretty effectively, and Medvedev ends a rally the two of them dominated, before a terrific get from Andreeva, after a fine return from Draper, allows him to spank an overhead winner … no it's wide!; the no 1 seeds lead 2-1, with a break. On Armstrong, Harrison holds, and Shelton looks poised to at 40-0 … and does. Updated at 10.25pm BST 10.19pm BST 22:19 Off we go on Armstrong, Harrison to serve. Both courts looks pretty well populated now, which makes sense given school holidays and free entry. 10.18pm BST 22:18 Draper finds himself under a bitta pressha at 30-all, so service-winners his way out of it, then Andreeeva swats a return wide and we're at 1-1. 10.15pm BST 22:15 Andreeva slaps one at Pegula and does she suppress a grin after raising a hand? I can't be sure, but I can see why she might. It makes 40-0, and the love-hold is quickly secured. 10.13pm BST 22:13 We're away on Ashe, Medvedev serving. 10.13pm BST 22:13 On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison return, with Townsend/Shelton following them. Two lefties present a very different challenge to Bencic/Zverev, and Shelton was close to his bouncing best in the first match; if he hits that level, his team'll be hard to beat. Updated at 10.14pm BST 10.11pm BST 22:11 We should at this point remind ourselves, just before we tuck into some delicious and, I guess, surprise sport, that with the exception of the holders, Errani/Vavassori, the best doubles teams in the world were excluded from this event. I wonder if, next term, they increase the size of this competition to get more of them in; that'd be my guess. 10.08pm BST 22:08 We're ready to rumble again on Ashe, Andreeva/Medvedev returning with Pegula/Draper right behind them. Both were excellent in their first match, and this is going to be a lot of fun, especially for 22.08 on a Tuesday night. The winners play Swiatek/Ruud in the semis. 10.02pm BST 22:02 Collins says she and Harrison have known each other since they were 14, so know each other's games really well; his dad has been her coach for 20 years. Harrison says Collins' singles ranking got them in, and now she's got them through the first match. 10.00pm BST 22:00 A brilliant win for the alternates. Harrison was particularly good there; it's almost as if he's played a lot of doubles. Next for them: Townsend/Shelton. 9.59pm BST 21:59 Wow! Harrison leans back and loops a ridiculous forehand into the corner and Bencic can't get it! That makes 15-40 and two match points… 9.57pm BST 21:57 On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead 4-0 4-3, Bencic serving for she and Zverev to stay in the competition. Updated at 9.58pm BST 9.57pm BST 21:57 Danilovic will be feeling those consecutive doubles she served at deuce for a long, long time. Next for the winners: Pegula/Draper, about 10 minutes from now. 9.55pm BST 21:55 A longer rally, Djokovc looking likeliest to end it … then he nets a volley above his head. That's 40-0 and three match points… 9.53pm BST 21:53 Seven points on the spin for Andreeva/Medvedev, the latter holding to love. They lead 1-0 3-4-3, momentum having switched in the last five or so minutes and, as I type, Djokovic nets with his opponents charging about in chaos for 0-30. A fine Medvedev return then secures 0-40, before he runs up to the net, of all the things, to pat away a volley. Andreeva will shortly serve for the match while, on Armstrong, it's 3-3 in the second, the first to Harrison/Collins. Updated at 9.55pm BST 9.49pm BST 21:49 On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead Bencic/Zverev 4-0 3-2; Zverev will now serve to keep his team in the match. 9.48pm BST 21:48 Andreeva/Medvedev get to 30-all, but then the latter overhits a forehand down the line with plenty at which to aim; it hands over set point, only for Danilovic to double. Here comes another … and she doubles again! Ach, you feel for her, the break handed back at 2-4 3-2. 9.44pm BST 21:44 Djokovic does well at the net to make 0-30, then Andreeva dumps one and must now defend three break points+1. And she cannot, a body-return from Danilovic's too much, thereby converting the first. She'll now serve for the second set at 3-1. Updated at 9.48pm BST 9.42pm BST 21:42 Back on Ashe, Djokovic holds; he and Danilovic lead 2-1 in the second having lost the first. I'd not be surprised if this becomes our first match to go all the way. 9.40pm BST 21:40 My eyes were elsewhere when Zverev was broken, but it's hard to believe it happened in this context; there aren't many better servers in the world. He goes again at 0-4 0-1 and holds to love; he and Bencic are on the board. 9.37pm BST 21:37 Andreeva, who plays doubles at slams, strokes a backhand return down the line for a winner and 15-all, but from there Danilovic serves out for a 1-0 second-set lead. 9.34pm BST 21:34 Medvedev holds easily enough, so he and Andreeva take the first set 4-2. This is a close encounter, though … unlike the one on Armstrong, Harrison dominating the court such that he and Collins lead Bencic/Zverev 4-0. For them, I guess, this is a really big deal – a chance to do something special, not a fun and lucrative warmup for the main event. 9.30pm BST 21:30 Andreeva/Medvedev make 30-40 on the Djokovic delivery; a second-serve ace down the T averts the immediate danger, but then Medvedev pings a forehand down the middle and between his two opponents to secure the break and a 3-2 lead. The set is on his racket. Updated at 9.37pm BST 9.25pm BST 21:25 Another swift hold on Ashe, Danilovic/Djokovic now up 2-1, whereupon the latter pastes a forehand winner down the line for 0-15. Then, after missing a backhand, the latter does really well at net to make 15-30, and at 30-all, Djokovic lobs Medvedev twice in a row before punishing a further forehand winner down the line for break point. Andfreeva saves it, which takes us to deuce, and from there, Medvedev secures the hold for 2-2. On Armstrong, it's a good start for the new entrants, Collins/Harrison breaking Bencic/Zverev for 2-0; Harrison, a dubs specialist, is showing what that entails. 9.19pm BST 21:19 'Not sure where the Djokovic mixed stat came from,' alerts Alex Hughes. 'He withdrew injured before the mixed doubles bronze medal match in Tokyo…' I guess they may have said at a grand slam and I missed it, watching my other screen. Updated at 9.19pm BST
The Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Sun
World Cup 2026 odds: Tips, predictions, and an early look at the frontrunners
THE FIFA World Cup is the ultimate prize in professional football, and with the competition in 2026 expanding from 32 nations to 48, this next World Cup, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, is set to be the biggest and best ever held. Argentina are the defending world champions. They won the competition for the third time in their history in Qatar when they defeated France on penalties in 2022. However, they are far from the favourites to win again. In the latest World Cup 2026 winner odds, it's the European champions Spain who lead the betting at 5/1, with five times winners Brazil next at 7/1 and Argentina out at 9/1 to defend their title. Latest 2026 World Cup odds *Odds correct at time of writing and are subject to change. 🏆 2026 World Cup odds - frontrunners for the trophy Argentina's win at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar ended a period of European domination that saw the continent win four consecutive tournaments from 2006 to 2018. Furthermore, Argentina's appearance in the final was only the second time a South American nation reached the last two since Brazil won the 2002 edition. With Spain at just 5/1, the best football betting sites are again favouring a European nation to be the winner in 2026. Below, we take a closer look at the current front runners: Argentina - defending champions Argentina were regarded as short-priced outsiders when they won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. La Albiceleste had underachieved with Messi captaining the side, with their 2021 Copa America win their first major honour under his leadership. Landing the Copa America changed the belief within the camp. But even with that trophy win, most punters believed that Argentina were inferior to the likes of Brazil, Spain and France. The story looks the same again in 2026. Of the five favourites we are looking at here, the defending champions have the longest 2026 World Cup odds at 9/1. Underestimating Argentina could be a mistake. Yes, Messi is four years older, but the likes of Emiliano Martínez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez are all four years more experienced and approaching their prime. They have tasted victory once, and they will be keen to back it up with another win. Spain - European champions One of the reasons why Argentina are looking slightly underestimated is because of the strength of nations such as Spain. The Spanish have a plethora of technically sound youngsters to call upon, with the likes of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams leading the way. Under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, Spain won Euro 2024. They may have been run close by Gareth Southgate's England in the final, but it's hard to argue that the Spanish were not the best side throughout the competition. Spain won the World Cup in 2010. They dominated world football at the time, and the current crop of players looks as close to the 2010 vintage as we have seen in the years since. Spain's one Achilles heel would appear to be their lack of a top quality goalscorer. Álvaro Morata led the line at the Euros in 2024. And although Morata is a top quality footballer, his finishing skills aren't on a par with the rest of his game. If Spain can find that player to fill the void, they would probably be far shorter odds than the 5/1 they are currently available at. The Spaniards are the favourites in the World Cup 2026 betting odds. Brazil - five-time champions In a sensational move in the summer of 2025, Carlo Ancelotti left Real Madrid to become the new head coach of Brazil. Tradition dictates that Brazil leads the way in football, and the rest of the globe follows. They are the record World Cup holders, with five victories spanning 44 years. However, this period of domination now appears to be well and truly over, which is why they have gone nuclear and hired an Italian to coach the team, rather than a Brazilian. Brazil has a talented squad. But they fell short in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and again in 2022 - not even reaching a final, and this includes the 2014 edition that they hosted. There is no doubt that the team has been in decline for some years now. For too long, Brazil have been trading off the back of their famous yellow shirts and blue shorts. But it was simply papering over the cracks, and it no longer works. The rest of the world have realised that if they play the guy in the shirt, rather than the actual shirt, Brazil are more than beatable. Can a full strength Brazil really compete with a firing Spain or a pumped up France? The bookies say they have a chance, with Spreadex making the five-time champions their 7/1 second favourites. However, we are not so sure. France - 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up France is the power house of Europe. Strong, physical and technically sound, they have it all. Back-to-back appearances in the 2018 and 2022 final proves their consistency and shows they know how to get to the finals of big events. Another attribute that sees the bookmakers install France as their 7/1 joint-second favourites is their strength in depth. Such is the depth of quality, Les Bleus could probably enter two squads in the World Cup, and both would be a serious threat. Despite all this, France have lost to Spain in their last two major semi-finals. They lost 2-1 to the Spaniards in the semi-final of Euro 2024, and 5-4 in the semi-final of the 2025 Nations League. In the latter match, the French were cut apart by the Spaniards. They found themselves both 4-0 and 5-1 down, before mounting a comeback that so nearly saw an extraordinary match go to extra-time. Overcoming that mental barrier will be key to France's chances of winning the competition. Furthermore, the 2026 World Cup will be Didier Deschamps' last competition in charge. The 2018 winning manager will have one last crack at winning the competition for the second time as a head coach and third overall. Deschamps will be aided by Ballon d'Or hopeful Ousmane Dembele and captain Kylian Mbappé, who will be 27 when the 2026 World Cup comes around. Mbappé will be in his prime, and that makes France a serious threat and is why they will be a lot of pundits' pick to win the competition. England - looking to end 60 years of hurt We hear it every time a World Cup comes around - can England end 'insert number' years of hurt? After several false dawns, it would now appear that England has a squad that looks good enough to win the World Cup. To further supplement their top-quality players, the English FA have gone out on a limb and appointed Thomas Tuchel as head coach. The belief is that the players are already there, and Tuchel is the final piece of the jigsaw. The former Chelsea boss has a plethora of attacking talent to choose from. Getting that mix right will be key to England's chances. If Tuchel can do that, then the Three Lions have a chance. The English are currently the fourth favourites with World Cup winner odds of 7/1 at bet365. ⚽ World Cup 2026 odds - ones to watch In 2018, Croatia shocked the world by reaching the final in Russia. They were at it again in 2022, reaching the last four in Qatar. Can they do it again, or will it be another African nation taking the fight to the established nations, like Morocco did with their run to the last four in 2022? We take a closer look at the ones to watch in 2026 below: Croatia 66/1 They seem to continually have an ageing team that is in need of a reboot, but despite this, Croatia reached the final of the 2018 World Cup and finished third in the 2022 edition. The ageing team theory could be down to the presence of Luka Modrić. The former Real Madrid playmaker is showing no signs of slowing down, having just signed to play for AC Milan. He will be 40 by the time of the 2026 World Cup, and as captain of Croatia, he looks set to lead his team at the finals. Boasting a record of finishing second and third respectively at the previous two World Cups, it seems ludicrous to see Croatia priced at 66/1 to win the 2026 edition with bet365. Yes, they were poor at Euro 2024, exiting the competition in the group stages. But they were in a tough group with eventual winners Spain, Italy and a competitive Albania. The Croatians have proven time and again that you underestimate them at your peril. They are not the best team in the world, but they are very competitive and well able to take advantage of any opportunities that come their way. Morocco Morocco broke new ground in 2022 when they became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. Their heroic run came to an end with a 2-0 defeat to France in the last four, and they also narrowly missed out on a bronze medal after they lost 2-1 to Croatia in the third place play-off. Could the Moroccans' run to the last four be the beginning of a new three-continent battle for world supremacy? For years we were used to South American dominance, and in more recent times it has been Europe that has set the benchmark - any African team that did well in the competition was seen as a plucky underdog that was over achieving. But the landscape is now changing. The continent of Africa now boasts some of the best players on the planet. Just think of names like Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane - all have played significant roles in winning the Premier League in recent years. Morocco's most notable player is marauding PSG right back Achraf Hakimi, a Champions League winner widely regarded as one of the best attacking full backs in world football. Hakimi captains a team that includes the likes of Noussair Mazraoui, Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri and Munir El Haddadi. They are 100/1 with bet365 in the current World Cup 2026 winner odds - the shortest price of all the African teams. Norway With Martin Ødegaard and Erling Haaland in their ranks, Norway are on course to qualify for their first World Cup finals since 1998. The Norwegians sit top of qualifying Group I and look certain for a place in the playoffs at the very least. However, head coach Ståle Solbakken will have higher expectations than a playoff place. After his team's impressive start to the qualifying campaign, he will be targeting automatic qualification. Norway has already beaten Italy 3-0 at home, and with Israel, Estonia and Moldova also in the group, Solbakken will know that his team's away fixture in Italy on the final matchday in November is likely to decide who tops the table. Furthermore, with Italy also having failed to reach the 2022 World Cup, it will be the Azzurri that are likely to be the team under the biggest pressure when they meet. Despite being in the ascendancy, Betway makes Norway 33/1 to win the World Cup, with Italy having shorter odds at 28/1. 🏟️ World Cup 2026 odds - the host nations As co-hosts, USA, Canada and Mexico have automatically qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. All three nations have been steadily building towards the competition. They all took part in the 2024 Copa America, and they have all recently competed in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, won by Mexico. If the Gold Cup final is to be used as a marker to assess the preparations of the three co-hosts, Mexico looks to be the team in the best shape. Goals from Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez led El Tri to a 2-1 win over Gold Cup co-hosts USA in the final. However, there is now a lack of competitive football for all three nations for the remaining months until the start of the World Cup, This gives their respective head coaches plenty of time to play around with formations and try out different players, but it could also see them enter the competition at a slight disadvantage to some of their more battle hardened opponents. Despite a string of underwhelming performances under former Spurs and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, Betfred say the USA has the best chance of success out of the three host nations. The USMNT is 40/1 in the latest World Cup winner odds, with Mexico at 50/1 and Canada at 100/1. World Cup 2026 odds - tournament debutants You don't often hear Jordan and Uzbekistan brought up in conversation alongside Brazil and Argentina when talking about football. But with all four nations already qualified for the 2026 World Cup finals, they've earned the right to sit at the same table as the sport's biggest names. Qualification for the finals is a first for both. Jordan sealed their place by finishing second to South Korea in Group B of the third round of AFC qualifying. A 3-0 win over Oman on Matchday 9 saw them qualify with a match to spare. Despite breaking new ground, the bookmakers aren't giving the first time qualifiers any chance of success in North America. Betway have priced Jordan up at a huge 1500/1 to win the competition. Uzbekistan also booked their place as one of six teams to - so far - qualify from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). They were runners-up to Iran in Group C with 21 points, qualifying comfortably for their first World Cup since becoming an independent nation in 1991. The Uzbeks are also 1500/1 with Betway. Even given the extended tournament, the chances are that neither nation will make it to the knockout stages. The new World Cup format The 2026 FIFA World Cup will break new ground for a number of reasons. Not only will it be the first World Cup to ever be tri hosted, it will also be the first time the competition will be played under the new format. A total of 48 teams will contest the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. This is an extension on the 32-team format that has been in use since 1998. The 48 teams will play in 12 groups of four. The top two of each group automatically qualify for the knockout stages, along with the eight best third placed teams. All will go into the Round of 32, where the competition becomes a straight knockout. The competing 48 nations all come from the six FIFA confederations. UEFA has been allocated 16 places, with CAF receiving nine, AFC eight, CONMEBOL six, CONCACAF six and OFC just the one. The final two places will be filled by the two winners of the inter-confederation play-offs held in March 2026, with five confederations represented in the six-nation mini competition. World Cup 2026 betting markets As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws closer, more and more markets will become available. At the moment, the only market most bookmakers are offering is for the outright winner. This is because the 48 teams are yet to be confirmed, and obviously, the draw is yet to be made. When the draw for the competition is complete, you can expect to find the following markets available to bet on: Stage of elimination This is a wager on when you think a nation will be eliminated from the FIFA World Cup. For example, you may think England will match their performance in 2018 and reach the semi-final, so you bet on the Three Lions to be eliminated at the semi-final stage. You may also feel that the Germans will get knocked out in the group stages again like they did in 2018 and 2022. Again, you can place a wager on this. Group winners This is simply a bet on which nation will win their group. If Brazil are drawn in Group A, you can back them to win the group. The downside to this wager is that the odds wouldn't be great on such an outcome. To qualify from the group This is a great alternative bet to wagering on who will win the group. Betting on this market gives you three possible winners with the top two qualifying, and eight of the best third placed teams also getting through to the Round of 32. The reason it can be a good value bet is because it offers you the chance to bet on the group outsiders to get through to the next round. So you may think that a smaller footballing nation like Jordan can qualify from their group, a wager that would almost certainly offer good value odds. Top scorer A bet on who will score the most goals at the FIFA World Cup. Harry Kane won the award in 2018 with six goals, and Kylian Mbappé won it in 2022 with eight goals. Always check the dead heat rules in this market, as it can vary from bookie to bookie. Some pay out at half the odds if there are two winners, while some may offer assists as a tiebreaker. There is no universal format for dead heats. How teams qualify for World Cup 2026 With the 2026 World Cup expanded from 32 nations to 48, there are 16 new qualifying places up for grabs. Below, we break down how many teams qualify from each confederation for the World Cup in its new format: Europe Europe will be the highest represented continent at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with 16 nations qualifying from UEFA. The UEFA nations are broken down into 12 groups, with each group winner claiming a spot at the World Cup during Stage 1 of qualifying. The other four places are made up from Stage 2. The 12 group runners-up, along with the four best Nations League group winners who don't qualify automatically through Stage 1, will compete for the four places. The 16 nations will play off through four pathways consisting of four teams each. Straight knockouts will decide the four winners. After 13 UEFA nations took part at Qatar in 2022, the confederation gained three extra places for 2026. North America The North, Central American and Caribbean section (CONCACAF) have six places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Three of the places have already gone, with hosts USA, Canada and Mexico automatically qualifying. CONCACAF had three automatic places at the 2022 finals (claimed by the USA, Canada and Mexico), with Costa Rica qualifying through the inter-confederation play-offs. Along with the three remaining places up for grabs this time, CONCACAF also has two spaces reserved at the inter-confederation play-offs, potentially doubling their allocated number of teams from the four that took part in 2022. South America The South American CONMEBOL qualifying section sees ten teams play a round-robin group, with the top six automatically qualifying for the finals, and the seventh placed team going into the inter-confederation play-offs. Argentina, Ecuador and Brazil have already secured their places, with Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia favourites to join them in the top six automatic qualifying places. The CONMEBOL section had four automatic qualifiers in 2022, with one nation entering the playoffs - meaning they are benefitting by receiving two extra places in 2026. Africa The African CAF section will have a minimum of nine qualifiers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 54 teams entered the qualifying process in nine groups of six, with all nine group winners gaining automatic qualification. The likes of Egypt and Morocco look well placed to qualify, meaning we should get to see Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi performing at the competition. The four best runners up will enter a CAF playoff, with the winner advancing to the FIFA inter-confederation play-offs for the final two places in the World Cup. CAF's nine automatic qualifiers is a huge increase on the five teams that played in the 2022 edition. Asia The Asian (AFC) section will have eight automatic qualifiers and one nation entered into the inter-confederation play-offs. Already qualified are Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Japan and Australia. There are more playoffs set to take place to decide who the final two automatic qualifiers will be and who will bag the playoff spot. The AFC was represented by five nations in the 2022 World Cup, so it has also hugely benefitted from the extended format. Oceania With many of FIFA's lowest ranked nations in Oceania, the confederation is only receiving one automatic qualification place for the 2026 World Cup. New Zealand have already secured that berth, with New Caledonia qualifying to play in the inter-confederation play-offs. Previously, the winner of the Oceania section only qualified for the inter-confederation play-offs. As New Zealand lost in the final of their inter-confederation playoff at the previous World Cup, Oceania wasn't represented in Qatar. The Kiwis have taken full advantage of the one automatic qualification spot this time around by reaching their first World Cup finals since 2010 and only the third in their history. Play-Off Tournament Six teams from five confederations will fight it out for the final two places at the 2026 World Cup in the inter-confederation play-offs. CONCACAF will have two of the six places, with AFC, CONMEBOL, CAF and Oceania all having one representative each. With 16 places already allocated, UEFA is not involved in this section of qualifying. Where the World Cup 2026 will be played The 2026 FIFA World Cup will see a total of 104 matches played across 16 venues in the USA, Canada and Mexico. As the main hosts, the bulk of the games will take place in the USA's 11 host cities, with Canada hosting matches in two cities and Mexico in three. In order to regulate times for viewers across the world, cut down on travel at the competition and also help players and fans acclimatise to conditions and time zones, the competition has been split into three regions, with teams based in regional clusters for the group stages. The regions are West, Central and East. Host cities in the West region are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver. The Central region is made up of Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Mexico City and Monterrey. While the East region consists of Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia and Toronto. How to follow the latest World Cup 2026 news and matches As is the case with previous FIFA World Cups, all matches will be shown free on terrestrial television. The BBC and ITV will cover every match in the UK, and there will also be extensive live radio commentary, also provided by the BBC. There will be plenty of written coverage as well, and here at The Sun, we will have all the latest news on the competition, along with World Cup betting tips, previews and the best betting offers. About the author Craig Mahood Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
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What will the weather be like at 2025 US Open?
The first week of the US Open is set to see temperatures around 25 to 27C, with thunderstorm warnings expected on the second day of the are expecting warm, sunny weather for the majority of the competition, but temperatures are unlikely to be high enough to be there is a risk to tennis players' health, the US Open has an extreme heat policy. What is the heat policy at the US Open? If weather conditions are too hot, a 10-minute break is offered between sets three and four for the men's singles.A 10-minute break is also permitted between sets two and three for women's and junior part of new policies set in 2024, the Arthur Ashe Stadium and the Louis Armstrong Stadium roofs will be partially shut in extreme conditions to provide shade and reduce on-court 2025 US Open takes place at Flushing Meadows in New York from 24 August-7 September. How do players stay hydrated and cool? Tennis players can do a range of different things to remain hydrated and cool whilst playing on the drinking plenty of water - often packed with electrolytes - which can give the water a different drinks are also another way to keep hydrated and keep energy levels the weather is particularly hot, players are often seen with ice towels between matches to keep them towels are prepared by lining up ice cubes and rolling the towel up, both sides of the towel will be taped-up to keep the ice in place. Do other Grand Slams have heat policies? Each Grand Slam has a different policy, and when to implement them in extreme heat heat rule used at Wimbledon is based on the 'wet bulb global temperature' - a measure of heat this is at, or above 30.1C, a 10-minute break will then be added between certain sets, which can be requested by the Australian Open developed a heat stress scale, which is used to decide when the conditions get too challenging, and when players' health could be at risk - when the scale reaches five, play will be French Open was the last Grand Slam to add a retractable roof to one of its courts, the Philippe Chatrier, in article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. What is Ask Me Anything? Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. More questions answered... What is the new US Open mixed doubles format?What does 'Open era' mean in tennis?How do tennis rankings work? Your questions answered
