Building off its momentum of winning Group A, Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in the Round of 32, marking its first knockout stage win since 1986. El Tri will play its Round of 16 game in Mexico City, on Sunday, July 5th on FOX. Mexico will await the winner of the England vs. DR Congo matchup. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Mexico’s only other World Cup knockout-stage win also came at Estadio Azteca in the 1986 Round of 16, a 2-0 win over Bulgaria. 40 years later, Mexico has done it again by the exact same score at the exact same historic stadium. With the win, Mexico remains unbeaten in World Cup group games at home, going a combined 8-2-0 (W-D-L), with two wins and a draw in 1970 and 1986, and now four wins in 2026. Even more impressively, Mexico has not lost a home game since an October 2018 friendly against Chile and has not lost a competitive home game since September 2013, a World Cup qualifier vs Honduras. Before the tournament began, Mexico was listed at +6500 to win the World Cup. Now, after winning its first four games of the tournament without giving up a goal, Mexico has surged up the oddsboard to +3000. After its best start to a World Cup in 40 years, can Mexico continue to make a deep run in this tournament? Let’s check out the updated odds for El Tri as of July 1. Team Mexico — Stage of EliminationLast 16: -210 (bet $10 to win $14.76 total)Quarterfinals: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Semifinals: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)Runner-up: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Outright winner: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Mexico’s Past World Cup Results 1930: Group stage1934: Did not qualify1938: Withdrew1950: Group stage1954: Group stage1958: Group stage1962: Group stage1966: Group stage1970: Quarterfinals1974: Did not qualify1978: Group stage1982: Did not qualify1986: Quarterfinals1990: Banned1994: Round of 161998: Round of 162002: Round of 162006: Round of 162010: Round of 162014: Round of 162018: Round of 162022: Group stage2026: TBDWhat to know: Mexico has made a habit of being in the running, but never really being in the running. Make sense? Consider this: El Tri made it out of the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups (1994-2018), but never made it past the Round of 16 in any of those years. In 2022, Mexico failed to make it out of the group stage. After dominating Group A this summer, Mexico has now advanced to the knockout stage in eight of the last nine World Cups. It is important to note, however, that Mexico has never made it past the quarterfinals at a FIFA men’s World Cup. Could this finally be the year? El Tri will get its chance to break its Round of 16 curse on Sunday.
The knockout stage never disappoints, and it doesn’t appear like it will at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After its dominating 3-0 win over Sweden on Tuesday, France has extended its gap as the favorite to win the World Cup. Les Bleus has climbed from +250 to +180 after its Round of 32 win, the best odds any team has been since title odds were released. While France remains the heavy favorite, Mexico surged up the oddsboard after its 2-0 win over Ecuador on Tuesday. Mexico’s odds jumped from +5000 to +3000 as it looks to get back to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1986. On Monday night, Morocco upset the Netherlands in a thrilling top-10 FIFA world rankings showdown. After going down 1-0 late in the second half, it looked like Morocco’s tournament was minutes from being over. However, Issa Diop’s stoppage-time header found the back of the net for a dramatic equalizer that sent the match to extra time. The Atlas Lions went on to win via penalties, and, as a result, their odds to win the World Cup have surged from +4000 to +2200. Morocco will now face Canada in the Round of 16. Let’s dive into the full odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 1. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 2026 World Cup Winner Odds France: +195 (bet $10 to win $29.50 total)Argentina: +440 (bet $10 to win $54 total)Spain: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)England: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)Brazil: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Portugal: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)Morocco: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total) Norway: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Mexico: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Colombia: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total)United States: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Belgium: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total) Switzerland: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)Senegal: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Croatia: +17500 (bet $10 to win $1,760 total)Canada:+17500 (bet $10 to win $1,760 total) Here’s what to know about this oddsboard: The Favorite: France is now the solo favorite atop the oddsboard. It opened its pursuit for a third World Cup title with a 3-1 win against Senegal and a dominant 3-0 win over Iraq. Les Bleus followed that up with a 4-1 win over Norway on Friday to clinch Group I. Now, after another commanding win in which it scored three goals yet again against Sweden, France will play Paraguay in a Round of 16 showdown on July 4th. Upset City: Prior to Monday’s Germany-Paraguay matchup, the Germans were a -700 favorite to advance to the Round of 16, after having won Group E. Meanwhile, Paraguay finished third in Group D and lost 4-1 to the United States to open the tournament. But none of that mattered on Monday, after Paraguay took a 1-0 lead, then held on to force the game to penalty kicks, where it defeated Germany 4-3. Wow. Germany had previously never lost a penalty shootout in World Cup history (4-0). It was one of the largest upsets in World Cup history based on ranking, with Germany ranked 10th in the world and Paraguay ranked 41st.
Winning two knockout stage games? That means you’re really in the running to win the World Cup. Let’s check out the updated odds for which countries will make it to the quarterfinals at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 1. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. To Reach Quarterfinals France: -1250 (bet $10 to win $10.80 total)Argentina: -425 (bet $10 to win $12.35 total)Morocco: -260 (bet $10 to win $13.85 total)Brazil: -240 (bet $10 to win $14.17 total)England: -175 (bet $10 to win $15.71 total)Spain: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)Colombia: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)USA: +105 (bet $10 to win $20.50 total)Mexico: +140 (bet $10 to win $24 total)Norway: +160 (bet $10 to win $26 total)Portugal: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)Canada: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)Belgium: +185 (bet $10 to win $28.50 total)Switzerland: +195 (bet $10 to win $29.50 total)Senegal: +370 (bet $10 to win $47 total)Algeria: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Egypt: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Ghana: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Here’s what to know about this oddsboard. Recent History: The quarterfinals are kinda a given for France, at least in recent years. The French have made it to at least the quarterfinals in five of the last seven World Cups, and they have made the final in four of the last seven years, winning the tournament twice. Les Bleus are now heavy favorites at -1250 to beat Paraguay and get back to the quarterfinals. The Host Nations: Before this summer, Canada had never won a World Cup match in two tournament appearances. But that has all changed. Canada is through to the Round of 16 after beating South Africa in the Round of 32. As for Mexico, it has recorded four straight scoreless wins to start the tournament for the first time in its nation’s history. El Tri will look to get back to the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years after dominating Ecuador in the Round of 32. After its win over Ecuador, Mexico jumped from +290 to +140 to make the quarters. The U.S. looks to replicate the other two host nations’ knockout stage performances against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
The phrase “quinto partido” — Spanish for the fifth game — is deeply embedded in the psyche of Mexican soccer. With Mexico beating Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 stage and now heading to the round of 16, the historical weight of this phrase remains a talking point for fans and players alike. With El Tri thriving at the third World Cup it’s hosted (this edition as co-hosts with Canada and the United States), Mexico’s obsession with making an extended run at the tournament is a narrative that is generations in the making. Mexico’s Quarterfinal Appearances – Only On Home Soil Mexico has reached the quarterfinal stage of a World Cup twice in its history, both times as the host nation. Mexico advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time at the 1970 World Cup. Because the tournament featured only 16 teams, the knockout phase began immediately following the group stage. This meant Mexico’s tournament concluded in the quarterfinals during what was actually their fourth game, not their fifth. At the 1986 World Cup, Mexico reached the quarterfinals as co-host once again as the tournament expanded to 24 teams – defeating Bulgaria in the newly created round of 16. Mexico’s subsequent quarterfinal elimination against West Germany occurred in the fifth game, establishing the beginning of a curse that has haunted the federation and fans ever since. The Quest For Another Quarterfinal – And A Mythical ‘Fifth Game’ Following a ban from the 1990 tournament due to fielding over-age players during Concacaf U-20 matches, Mexico established a historic level of qualifying consistency. El Tri managed to advance from the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups from 1994 to 2018. However, that consistency met an identical ceiling. In every single one of those seven tournaments, Mexico was eliminated in the Round of 16 — the fourth game of the campaign. In 2022, the curse manifested itself in a different format. In Qatar, Mexico failed to advance past the group stage for the first time since 1978, thus ending that campaign after just three games. While El Tri did not suffer another Round of 16 heartbreak, the underlying reality of the curse remained; the team was once again unable to earn the right to play a fifth match. With the FIFA World Cup expanding to a 48-team format, the path to the final rounds of the tournament requires an additional match. The group stage covers matches one, two, and three. The Round of 32 serves as match four, the Round of 16 acts as match five, and the quarterfinals become match six. Because of this expanded bracket, reaching the quarterfinals now technically requires playing a “sexto partido” (sixth game). However, the number of games has not altered the feeling among Mexico fans. For the Mexican national team, the objective remains the same since the 1994 World Cup, breaking the Round of 16 glass ceiling and returning to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1986.
YANKEE STADIUM (New York) – Tarik Skubal danced off the mound and swaggered into the Tigers dugout after striking out five consecutive Yankees hitters to end the fourth inning. He got better as he went along, shoving his fastest pitch of the night — a 100 mph sinker — to devastate slugger Ben Rice. It was pure gas. Skubal had everything working for him in his 11th start of the year and fourth since coming off the injured list. His velocity was overpowering. His pitch movement was lethal. His command was elite. His panache was back. On Tuesday night in the Bronx, Skubal put on a clinic in pitching. This was the first time since Skubal returned from the injured list that he looked like himself: the back-to-back reigning American League Cy Young Award winner coveted by the entire league. He struck out nine and permitted just one hit across six innings in front of tens of thousands of fans who badly want to see him in pinstripes. That opportunity is knocking on the door. Skubal is the jewel of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, and with the southpaw twirling another gem, the Tigers cannot afford to wait to deal him. The Yankees, who lost their sixth straight game, are just the latest club to get a front-row seat to Skubal’s wipeout dominance that could be in their rotation before the summer is over. Skubal is a generational talent, but he’s only human. Of course, it had crept into his mind that Tuesday night could’ve been one of his final starts as a Tiger. “That’s the reality, right? I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t, but I can’t let that impact my day-to-day and who I am on the mound,” Skubal told me after Detroit’s 9-3 win at Yankee Stadium. “If I let that creep in, it’s just another distraction. I really don’t care. My job is to go out there and compete and win baseball games for the Detroit Tigers, and I’m gonna keep doing that until I’m told I’m on another team.” There is a version of Skubal this year when he spends his final months in a Tigers uniform. The ace could be pitching meaningless September games while his free agency clock winds down. Detroit’s front office could be watching a franchise-altering asset walk out the door for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick. Given where the Tigers (37-49) sit right now — nine games behind first place in the AL Central and six games from a wild-card spot — that version should terrify president of baseball operations Scott Harris more than any other outcome available to him. Skubal is about to become the most sought-after trade chip the sport has seen in years. The last time a pitcher with Skubal’s pedigree was traded as a rental piece was when the Nationals dealt three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer to the Dodgers in 2021. But Scherzer was 36 years old at the time. Skubal is still just 29. Rental aces come around occasionally, but one this elite, this early in his prime, almost never does. “I get it, it’ll get loud,” Skubal said of the trade speculation. “Hopefully, we quiet it down because we’re gonna win a lot of baseball games and quiet that noise.” That’s what the Tigers had initially planned. They entered 2026 believing they’d built a legitimate AL Central favorite around Skubal. They signed fellow southpaw Framber Valdez to a massive three-year, $115 million contract. A young position-player core headlined by outfielder Riley Greene, infielder Kevin McGonigle, and catcher Dillon Dingler was supposed to take them all the way. Instead, injuries and a lineup that has produced one of the league’s lowest run totals have buried Detroit near the basement of baseball’s weakest division. Skubal himself, who missed just over six weeks after having bone fragments removed from his elbow in an experimental scope procedure, has all but dared his front office to act. Two weeks ago, he warned: “If they [Detroit’s front office] don’t think what we have is a World Series or playoff-caliber team, then the whole team is going to look different. That’s just the nature of the beast.” That’s the uncomfortable truth Harris is staring down. Skubal is a pending free agent widely expected to command a contract in the neighborhood of $400 million this winter. It would shatter the record for the largest overall contract value for a full-time starting pitcher in MLB history. It’s the kind of money the Tigers have shown no indication of offering. If Detroit holds him past the deadline hoping for a miracle stretch run, the best-case scenario is a first-round playoff exit; the worst case is Skubal walking for nothing in November. There is no version of “wait and see” that improves Detroit’s return. Front offices around the league know that Skubal, even coming off an abbreviated first half due to his elbow injury, remains capable of winning a World Series. He did, after all, throw his first bullpen just 12 days after undergoing surgery. Who does that? Any team with postseason ambitions and an opening at the top of its rotation has to at least ask the price. Start with the Dodgers, who have the prospect capital to make almost any competitive offer. The Yankees, still chasing their first championship since 2009, fit the profile too. Another ace behind Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, and Max Fried would transform their October outlook. The Cubs, who are chasing the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, have been floated as a realistic partner, with pieces close enough to the majors to satisfy Detroit. And don’t overlook the first-place Rays, either. Tampa Bay needs rotation reinforcements and a healthy Skubal would elevate their already dominant unit. In return, Detroit should look to secure controllable, near-MLB-ready pitching, as well as position players that the club can plug in immediately, or soon. The Tigers wouldn’t have to sacrifice their 2027 window if they play this right, even though it may seem daunting to win without Skubal. “He did an excellent job of using his whole arsenal,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday of Skubal’s performance against the Yankees. “I mean, he was awesome. I love how he piled up his strikeouts. He had soft contact. I always love what Tarik Skubal looks like.” As painful as it will be for Hinch and the rest of the Tigers to say goodbye to their homegrown ace, Skubal’s value has never been higher than it is right now, with just over four weeks left before the deadline. Whatever sentiment exists in Detroit about keeping the only ace the franchise has developed into a bona fide superstar since they did it with Justin Verlander, the front office doesn’t have the luxury of nostalgia. The Tigers have a decision to make, and they have less time than they think to make it.
The USA doesn’t enter the knockout stage coming off a positive result, but I’m unfazed. We didn’t see the Americans’ go-to lineup in that game, and I’m looking at the round-of-32 matchup on Wednesday night positively. Let’s get to your questions ahead of the matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Help us believe the USMNT has what it takes to win a World Cup when they lost to Türkiye. — Sarah Glad (s.a.r.u.hhhhh) The match against Türkiye was what it was. It was a chance to rest some key players and get others some run. I’m not putting much into this game. There are some lessons to learn; conceding a last-minute goal is never great. The U.S. definitely could have been better defensively as a collective unit. Ultimately, though, that was not our best XI on the field. In terms of how to feel coming out of that game, the confidence of this group is going to grow if we get a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of these players have played in the knockout stage before, but they have not won, so a win would be huge. Also, the belief among the fanbase will also grow with a win. We have a pathway moving forward that is now clearly defined, and the approach has to be to take it one game at a time. With every positive result, though, and every 90 minutes that this team gets together, it’s going to increase their confidence, as well as the fans’ belief that we can keep hitting these new milestones and accomplish something special. Our depth is looking weak. What reserve players can we count on? — Jason Haskins (jasonhaskins) There are a few guys who I feel confident in. First is Ricardo Pepi. I thought he had a good showing against Australia and some positive moments against Türkiye. I was more impressed with him in the group against Australia, though, because that was with the rest of the starting group. Next up is Sebastian Berhalter, who is likely going to be called upon to play some meaningful minutes in the center of the park. That’s a position where we don’t have that much depth, so I’m expecting him to have to step up at some point. In terms of the attack on the wing, guys like Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson or Alex Zendejas all got minutes against Türkiye. Someone is going to have to play key minutes in the knockout stage. In defense, I look to Auston Trusty. He did well against Türkiye and obviously took his goal well, too. Who has made the biggest difference on the USMNT team and why? — Ramses Gaytan (ramses_dtxns_30) The first name that comes to mind is someone who was expected to step up: Weston McKennie. He has been a big part of this team’s success, making a positive impact in every game. He’s also the only player to start every game so far. One who has been everything we’d hoped for and maybe more is Alex Freeman. To be 21 years old with the little amount of professional soccer he has under his belt, to step up on this stage and perform in this way has been incredibly encouraging — and long may it continue. The final name is Flo Balogun. The concern and question mark from the last World Cup was who our No. 9 was. He has shown to be consistently dangerous, whether it’s scoring goals or being a nuisance to create them. I think his overall skill set really lifts our ceiling. Do you think this squad in its current form can beat a team like Spain or Portugal? — Douglas Baker (douglas_baker1) Why not? One of this group’s greatest strengths is how athletic we are. When we are collectively on the same page and working like dogs to apply pressure on teams — both in and out of possession — I think we have a squad that can disrupt opposing teams that build out of the back and are focused on shorter passes. Does that mean it’s a guarantee to happen? No, but by the time we get to that game, it would be a quarterfinal. That means we would have won two knockout-stage games to get there. Favorite US goal so far? Favorite celebration? — imatt13 The best goal we’ve scored was Balogun’s second against Paraguay, but it was Gio’s finale in that match. That goal was a nice cap on that game, which was an amazing experience. In terms of my favorite celebration, two goals come to mind. Gio’s goal saw the entire team go on the field to celebrate with him, including head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Similarly, Alex Freeman’s goal against Australia was special. The whole team sprinted after him and chased him. This team is very locked in and very much together. Those two celebrations really reflected that. Who’s the goat of soccer? — codices It’s Messi. That’s the easiest of the questions.
The phrase “quinto partido” – Spanish for the fifth game – is deeply embedded in the psyche of Mexican soccer. With Mexico taking on Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 stage, the historical weight of this phrase remains a talking point for fans and players alike. With El Tri thriving at the third World Cup it’s hosted (this edition as co-hosts with Canada and the United States), Mexico’s obsession with making an extended run at the tournament is a narrative that is generations in the making. Mexico’s Quarterfinal Appearances – Only On Home Soil Mexico has reached the quarterfinal stage of a World Cup twice in its history, both times as the host nation. Mexico advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time at the 1970 World Cup. Because the tournament featured only 16 teams, the knockout phase began immediately following the group stage. This meant Mexico’s tournament concluded in the quarterfinals during what was actually their fourth game, not their fifth. At the 1986 World Cup, Mexico reached the quarterfinals as co-host once again as the tournament expanded to 24 teams – defeating Bulgaria in the newly created round of 16. Mexico’s subsequent quarterfinal elimination against West Germany occurred in the fifth game, establishing the beginning of a curse that has haunted the federation and fans ever since. The Quest For Another Quarterfinal – And A Mythical ‘Fifth Game’ Following a ban from the 1990 tournament due to fielding over-age players during Concacaf U-20 matches, Mexico established a historic level of qualifying consistency. El Tri managed to advance from the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups from 1994 to 2018. However, that consistency met an identical ceiling. In every single one of those seven tournaments, Mexico was eliminated in the Round of 16 — the fourth game of the campaign. In 2022, the curse manifested itself in a different format. In Qatar, Mexico failed to advance past the group stage for the first time since 1978, thus ending that campaign after just three games. While El Tri did not suffer another Round of 16 heartbreak, the underlying reality of the curse remained; the team was once again unable to earn the right to play a fifth match. With the FIFA World Cup expanding to a 48-team format, the path to the final rounds of the tournament requires an additional match. The group stage covers matches one, two, and three. The Round of 32 serves as match four, the Round of 16 acts as match five, and the quarterfinals become match six. Because of this expanded bracket, reaching the quarterfinals now technically requires playing a “sexto partido” (sixth game). However, the number of games has not altered the feeling among Mexico fans. For the Mexican national team, the objective remains the same since the 1994 World Cup, breaking the Round of 16 glass ceiling and returning to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1986.
Germany is out of the World Cup. Brazil was pushed to the edge by Japan and the Netherlands was sent packing. Soccer’s traditional super powers have been rattled by a combination of fearless underdogs and emerging forces who are shaking things up. And England coach Thomas Tuchel has no issue with it at all. “I think it can calm us down in a way. It’s just narrow margins. It’s just tight football matches and it helps us not to over expect. It helps to put it in the right framework what is happening in this World Cup and in world football,” he said ahead of England’s round of 32 game against Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday. England is the overwhelming favorite to advance against a team that is playing in the knockouts for the first time and is in its first World Cup since 1974. But Tuchel, whose team was criticized after its goalless draw with Ghana in the group stage, said the gap is closing in international soccer. That was evident as four-time world champion Germany lost a penalty shootout to Paraguay. Record five-time champion Brazil needed an added time winner to rally to a 2-1 victory against Japan. Earlier in the tournament Cape Verde held European champion Spain to a goalless draw and Congo drew 1-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. “It’s difficult for any team to break teams down, especially when you arrive as a favorite. Especially when you face teams who have nothing to lose,” Tuchel said. “For me and for us it almost helps us to calm our minds, to accept the situation, and make the most of it.” While Morocco’s shootout victory against the Netherlands was less of a surprise, the African champion has quickly gone from underdog to serious contender at the World Cup. Congo is some way from those heights, but goes into the match against England without fear. “It is true we are looking at a difficult match, but in no way insurmountable. We have proven this against teams that were supposed to be superior to us, that we could actually put in a good performance,” said coach Sébastien Desabre. “So we are focusing on our strengths, we are walking our path and once you get to this point in the competition, it’s difficult for everyone.” There has been a mixed response to England’s performances so far, despite topping its group with an unbeaten record of two wins and a draw. Tuchel said he was determined to entertain fans and had no problem coping with the expectations of a country that hasn’t won a trophy since lifting the World Cup in 1966. Tuchel, a serial winning coach from Germany, was specifically hired with the intention of breaking that barren run. “I love these situations. I feel it’s a privilege to be in these situations. We can just accept it. We are the favorites. We play against our own expectations,” he said. “We expect to go further than the round of 32. That’s just how it is. “So why would our fans not expect it? Why would the public opinion not be the same?” Reporting by the Associated Press.
FIFA explained Tuesday the tighter regulations that resulted in Germany having a potentially game-winning goal disallowed in its shock elimination from the World Cup. Defender Jonathan Tah’s headed goal in extra time against Paraguay on Monday was ruled out after a video review because of a foul on goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Replays showed Germany’s Waldemar Anton push Gill to the ground, but the minimal contact led to criticism of the decision. Germany went on to lose the round of 32 game in a penalty shootout, with Tah firing a decisive spot kick over the bar. FIFA’s referees chief Pierluigi Collina said officials had been told to punish incidents when players try to block opponents and make no attempt to play the ball, especially where goalkeepers are concerned. “Although keeping a position is not a foul per se, when an attacking player is not interested in the ball and deliberately moves, even marginally, with the clear intention of obstructing opponents’ movement and prevents him from defending, then referees, and VAR when needed, should carefully analyze the incident and intervene,” Collina said. “This is especially the case when the tactic aims to prevent the opposing goalkeeper from being able to defend the goal. “Coaches and players were informed so it should come as no surprise that referees will punish these fouls.” Collina said moves to curb timewasting had been successful. There are now time limits on goal kicks, throw ins and substitutions, while players are forced to leave the field for one minute after an injury. “These measures have all been very effective and unanimously considered as very positive innovations,” Collina said. Reporting by the Associated Press.
The Detroit Lions seemed to be prepared to potentially play without Terrion Arnold, putting the cornerback on the field with backups during minicamp in mid-June. And suddenly, Arnold is a former player for the franchise. Detroit released Arnold on Monday, the same day a Florida judge set his bail at $1 million as he faces eight felony charges tied to allegations he orchestrated the abduction and beating of three men. The move leaves the Lions with eight players they list as cornerbacks on the roster, including three players with a combined 164 games of starting experience in the NFL. D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin and Roger McCreary will likely compete to start when the season kicks off in September. The team is hopeful Ennis Rakestraw, who was drafted in the second round two years ago, can contribute after missing last season following shoulder surgery and being limited to eight games as a rookie due to hamstring and ankle injuries. “We still got Reed,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said in March, months before the team cut ties with Arnold. “We like (Rakestraw) coming back. I know it’s unproven right now, but, he’s had a good offseason to this point. We got Rock (Ya-Sin) and McCreary. “We’ve got some things there.” Some notable cornerbacks are still available in free agency, but four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore and 2021 All-Pro Trevon Diggs are coming off at least three injury-shortened seasons. Kenny Moore II might be a fit after asking the Indianapolis Colts to trade him and getting released in May. The 30-year-old Moore started seven games last season and has 111 career starts for the Colts over nine seasons, including 2021, when he earned Pro Bowl recognition. Detroit drafted Arnold with the No. 24 pick overall in 2024, when the NFL draft was in the Motor City and the former Alabama star sported a big smile and an electric salmon silk suit. He had two years left on his four-year rookie contract. Arnold had an uneven rookie season, defending 10 passes in 15 starts without an interception. He picked off one pass last season while he was limited to eight games due to a concussion and shoulder injury. A month after the season ended for the Lions, prosecutors in Florida say, Arnold arranged for three men to be pistol-whipped after he wrongly suspected them of stealing $100,000 in cash and luxury goods from him. In March, Campbell said the Lions believed Arnold was not involved in the alleged crime based on the information they had at that time. “I feel like we’re going to be good here,” Campbell told reporters. “I’m going to trust what the kid said.” Two months later, Arnold’s stock with the team seemed to slip as he was not on the field with the No. 1 defense during offseason workouts while working his way back from the shoulder injury. “We got a lot of good guys in that room and he knows this,” Campbell said on June 17. “He’s got to earn it.” Before the Lions released Arnold, the judge did not require him to wear an ankle monitor because it would have prevented him from taking the field for games and training. Harvey Steinberg, an attorney for Arnold, argued in court Monday that prosecutors are “not even close” to showing that Arnold knew or directed what his associates would do. Reporting by the Associated Press.
