World Cup (Soccer): France vs. Spain semifinal marred by racist remarks from a former Spanish PM

• World Cup (Soccer): France vs. Spain semifinal marred by racist remarks from a former Spanish PM; South Africa mourns player Jayden Adams.
• Tennis: Jannik Sinner wins Wimbledon, Linda Noskova breaks into WTA Top 10.
• Cricket: India wins historic first women’s Test at Lord’s.
• MLB: Dodgers face Ohtani knee concerns in three-peat bid.
• NASCAR: Ryan Blaney wins rain-delayed race in Atlanta.
• NFL: Expands into Africa with Kenya flag football competition.
• Women’s Football: Barcelona stars Mapi León and Alexia Putellas join London City Lionesses.
• Rugby Union: Slaven Bilić returns as Croatia coach after Zlatko Dalić’s exit.

Football (Soccer)

World Cup

• France vs. Spain Semifinal (July 13, 2026):
  • Former Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy faces backlash for racist remarks about France’s World Cup team, claiming they “do not have any French players.” French and Spanish leaders, including Kylian Mbappé, condemn the comments as racist and intolerable.
  • France and Spain clash in Dallas on July 13, with Lamine Yamal (16) aiming to emulate Mbappé’s 2018 World Cup heroics.
  • South Africa mourns Jayden Adams, a 25-year-old World Cup player found dead in Cape Town. Police investigate the cause; Adams had recently helped South Africa reach the knockout stage for the first time.

EPL & Global Leagues

• Women’s Football:
  • Mapi León (Barcelona) and Alexia Putellas join London City Lionesses, signaling a shift in women’s football talent to England.
  • Slaven Bilić returns as Croatia’s national team coach, succeeding Zlatko Dalić, who led Croatia to its only World Cup final (2018) and third place (2022).

American Football

NFL

• NFL Africa Expansion:
  • The NFL hosts its third annual flag football competition in Kenya, with Egypt (men) and Nigeria (women) winning. The event aims to grow the sport in Africa, with NFL scouts present to spot talent.
  • Flag football will debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and Nigeria has qualified for the 2026 World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Baseball (MLB)

• Dodgers’ Three-Peat Bid:
  • Shohei Ohtani manages knee issues as the Dodgers aim for a third straight World Series title. Ohtani remains a fifth-time MVP candidate (batting .293, 22 HR, 58 RBI; pitching: 8-2, 1.79 ERA).
  • All-Star Game: Cristopher Sanchez (Phillies) and Dylan Cease (Blue Jays) named starting pitchers. Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski (167 strikeouts, 1.62 ERA) misses the game due to fatigue.
  • Standings: Tampa Bay Rays lead AL East (56-38); Dodgers lead NL West by 11.5 games.

Basketball

NBA & WNBA

• NBA Offseason:
  • No major updates on July 13, but free agency and draft discussions dominate as teams prepare for the 2026-27 season.
• WNBA:
  • London City Lionesses sign Mapi León and Alexia Putellas, boosting the English Women’s Super League’s profile.

Tennis

Grand Slams (Wimbledon 2026)

• Men’s Singles:
  • Jannik Sinner wins his second consecutive Wimbledon title, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. Sinner now has 5 Grand Slam titles, narrowing the gap to Carlos Alcaraz’s 7 (Alcaraz out with wrist injury).
  • Sinner’s evolving game (lobs, drop shots, sliced backhands) draws comparisons to Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.
• Women’s Singles:
  • Linda Noskova (Czech Republic) wins her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeating Karolina Muchova (6-2, 5-7, 6-3). Noskova jumps to WTA No. 7 in the rankings.
  • WTA Top 10 (July 13, 2026):
    1. Aryna Sabalenka
    2. Elena Rybakina
    3. Jessica Pegula
    4. Coco Gauff
    5. Mirra Andreeva

Cricket

ICC & Women’s Cricket

• India vs. England (Women’s Test at Lord’s):
  • India wins by 270 runs in the first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s, with Sneh Rana (2 wickets) and Deepti Sharma (2 wickets) leading the bowling.
  • Yastika Bhatia scores 113, the first women’s Test century at Lord’s.
  • England’s Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight retire from international cricket after the match.

Racing

NASCAR

• Atlanta Race (July 13, 2026):
  • Ryan Blaney wins a rain-delayed race at EchoPark Speedway, overcoming a 3-hour, 9-minute delay due to lightning and rain.
  • Blaney wins every stage of the race but faces a late challenge from Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell. Wallace is penalized for passing below the yellow line, dropping to 29th.
  • Next Race: North Wilkesboro, North Carolina (July 19-20).

Combat Sports

Boxing & MMA

• No major updates on July 13, 2026, but UFC, Bellator, and ONE Championship continue their global schedules.

Other Sports

Rugby Union/League, Track & Field, Swimming, Cycling, Volleyball, Gymnastics, Esports

• No significant updates reported for July 13, 2026.

Key Themes & Trends

• Global Expansion: NFL, NBA, and women’s football are actively expanding into Africa, Europe, and Asia.
• Racism in Sports: France’s World Cup team faces repeated racist remarks, sparking global condemnation.
• Women’s Sports Growth: Wimbledon, women’s cricket, and WNBA see historic achievements and increased investment.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Ukraine-Russia conflict and US-Iran Strait of Hormuz disputes overshadow sports headlines.