Sports

By DEBORA REY Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Argentine fans are making great sacrifices to be in Qatar to see their team try to win the World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Argentina is a soccer-crazed country known for its world-class players and its repeated economic crises. The fans are passionate

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer DOHA, Qatar (AP) — FIFA has described this World Cup as the best ever. What remains to be seen is the true impact of its unprecedented scheduling in midseason. The Qatar event is being staged in November and December for the first time in the World Cup’s 92-year history.

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer DOHA, Qatar (AP) — FIFA expects to earn $11 billion in the 2026 World Cup cycle with a 48-team men’s tournament in North America set to deliver a big increase in revenue amid ongoing uncertainty about the exact match schedule. The four-year budget has been presented to the FIFA

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Recently fired Arizona Cardinals assistant coach Sean Kugler has hired a law firm to investigate allegations that he inappropriately touched a female security guard when the team was in Mexico for a game against the San Francisco 49ers. Kugler hired the law firm of Shields

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Brittney Griner said she’s “grateful” to be back in the United States and plans on playing basketball again next season for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. Her comments came a week after she was released from a Russian prison, freed in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange. “It feels so good

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa believes the Miami Dolphins’ recent losses have taught them lessons their early season success didn’t. Ahead of Miami’s pivotal division matchup against Buffalo, Tagovailoa said the Dolphins are learning the importance of putting bad drives behind them and not letting incompletions or

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Having won a pair of World Series titles, Christian Vázquez hopes to win another with the Minnesota Twins. The 32-year-old Vázquez, who gets annual salaries of $10 million, played for Boston from 2014 until Aug. 1, when he was traded to Houston. He won titles with the Red Sox in 2018 and

PHOENIX (AP) — As Phoenix gets ready to host the Super Bowl, Mayor Kate Gallego has announced Sky Harbor International Airport will be the world’s first airport to offer the self-driving ride-hailing service Waymo. Gallego said during a news conference Friday that fans who come to the city for the Feb. 12 Super Bowl will

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana college basketball is in the midst of a revival. On the men’s side, Purdue is ranked No. 1 and Indiana is in the top 15. On the women’s side, Indiana and Notre Dame are both in the top five. The Purdue women, Notre Dame and

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer Morningside quarterback Joe Dolincheck and four of his teammates on the offensive side of the ball were selected to The Associated Press NAIA All-America team announced Friday. Dolincheck, a repeat first-team All-American, led the NAIA with 353 yards passing per game and 37 touchdown passes. He was

By The Associated Press Florida plays No. 17 Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday. The Beavers are 10 1/2-point favorites. A victory would give them their third 10-win season. Florida hopes to avoid a second consecutive losing season. The teams are meeting for the first time. Arkansas in 2000 is the only

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Brittney Griner said she’s “grateful” to be back in the United States and plans on playing basketball again next season for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. Her comments came a week after she was released from a Russian prison, freed in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange. “It feels so good

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Zach Wilson will start at quarterback for the New York Jets on Sunday against the Detroit Lions after Mike White was not cleared by doctors to play. White is dealing with a rib injury that twice knocked him out of the Jets’

LONDON (AP) — Chinese tennis player Baoluo Zheng has been banned for nine months after admitting that he attempted to fix a match. The International Tennis Integrity Agency says the 21-year-old player “approached an opponent and offered money in return for deliberately losing a match at a tournament in Egypt in October 2022.” Baoluo was

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konaté are among five France players who missed training two days before the World Cup final against Argentina. The two center backs have reportedly become the latest members of the France squad to be affected by a virus. Dayot Upamecano, Adrien Rabiot and Kingsley Coman were struck

GRAND BAIE, Mauritius (AP) — Antoine Rozner and Alfredo Garcia-Heredia have moved into a tie for the lead with Sami Valimaki at the Mauritius Open. Rozner shot an 8-under 64 to join Garcia-Heredia and Valimaki in a one-stroke lead after two rounds at Mont Choisy Le Golf on the Indian Ocean island. They are at

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies finalized their deal with Taijuan Walker, agreeing to a $72 million, four-year contract with the right-hander. The 30-year-old Walker went 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA in 29 starts this season for the New York Mets, one of Philadelphia’s biggest NL East rivals. He slots into a rotation fronted by