100 Days Out From the World Cup, Plus the NFL’s Big Win

Today marks exactly 100 days until the first ball is kicked at the 2026 World Cup, and the United States—co-hosting with Mexico and Canada—is already deep in preparation mode. The Athletic’s soccer staff marked the occasion by publishing a 100-question guide that ranges from the most basic rules to the tournament’s thorny economics. Among the highlights:

The field has ballooned to 48 teams, up from the 32 that have competed since 1998. While the expansion is widely viewed as a commercial play, it will also usher in debutants such as Cape Verde, adding fresh narratives to the planet’s biggest sporting event.

American supporters wondering if the U.S. men’s national team can win the whole thing should keep expectations grounded. Most analysts see a quarter-final run as a realistic ceiling; Spain, bolstered by rising stars like 18-year-old Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, enters as the betting favorite. Other teenagers poised for breakout tournaments include Brazil’s Estevao and Mexico’s 16-year-old Gilberto Mora.

Matches will be staged at 16 venues—11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada. Ticket demand, however, has been chaotic. Three separate lotteries have left everyday fans frustrated, and FIFA is reportedly struggling to move inventory closer to kickoff.

Off the pitch, the tournament will be represented by a trio of mascots: Maple the Moose for Canada, Zayu the Jaguar for Mexico and Clutch the Bald Eagle for the United States.

While soccer counts down, the NFL scored a major victory in the boardroom. Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery will marry CBS Sports with WBD’s TNT Sports, creating a streaming super-platform. League officials have already opened talks on a new round of television deals that could further fatten the NFL’s already record-setting contracts.

Elsewhere in football, the Detroit Lions shook up their backfield by shipping veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans in exchange for center Juice Scruggs plus fourth- and seventh-round draft picks. Montgomery, 28, grew dissatisfied with a reduced workload after the emergence of Jahmyr Gibbs. His departure ends a productive chapter in Detroit but clears the runway for Gibbs to assume full-time duties.

On today’s viewing calendar, the English Championship offers an intriguing mid-table clash as promoted sides Sunderland and Leeds meet at 2:30 p.m. ET, while the NBA’s Spurs visit the Joel Embiid-less 76ers at 8 p.m. At 9:30 p.m. the NHL’s trade-deadline storyline takes center stage when the Lightning face the Wild, a contest that could preview Minnesota’s pursuit of Rangers center Vincent Trocheck.