Carolina defeated Vegas 4-2 in Game 5 of the NHL Finals, taking a 3-2 series lead. The victory puts Carolina one win away from claiming the Stanley Cup championship, with the series now returning to Vegas for Game 6.
Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening match at the FIFA World Cup, marking the country's 18th appearance at football's premier tournament. This was the eighth time Mexico has played in a World Cup opening fixture. The two teams previously met at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where they drew 1-1 when the African nation hosted the tournament on home soil.
A vice-president of the Slovak Ski Association has been elected to the Council of the International Ski Federation (FIS), marking the first time Slovakia has secured representation on the sport's governing body. The candidate received 70 votes in the election, achieving what officials called a historic victory for Slovak winter sports. The FIS Council serves as the executive body of the International Ski Federation, which oversees competitive skiing and snowboarding worldwide and sets rules for international competitions including the Winter Olympics.
Darnell Nurse has requested Edmonton Oilers management to trade him to another NHL team. The defenseman played all 82 regular season games for the Oilers last season, recording seven goals and 17 assists. The request comes as the team evaluates its roster composition following another playoff campaign.
The FIFA World Cup football tournament has begun with an opening ceremony that featured a performance by Colombian singer Shakira. The ceremony appeared to use playback audio for musical performances as organizers sought to avoid potential technical difficulties that could overshadow the tournament's launch.
Paraguayan midfielder Julio Enciso will be available for his national team's opening match against the United States at the FIFA World Cup. Enciso is considered one of Paraguay's key offensive players as the South American nation returns to the World Cup stage after a 16-year absence. Paraguay last qualified for the tournament in 2010, making their return particularly significant for the country's football fans.
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade from the team last week, submitting a list of three preferred NHL destinations where he would be willing to go. Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman has now asked the productive center to expand his list of acceptable trade destinations. The request comes as the team works to accommodate their captain's trade demand while seeking the best possible return for one of their key players.
A bus carrying the Czech national football team blocked traffic in Guadalajara, Mexico, after the driver misjudged the entrance to a stone pathway leading to the team's training center. The incident caused disruption to local traffic as the vehicle became stuck at the entrance.
Four Slovak athletes are traveling to Cluj for an upcoming competition, hoping to expand their medal collection. All four competitors have previous experience with this particular event, having participated in past editions of the tournament.
A thunderstorm forced the postponement of England's final warm-up match before the World Cup in Orlando, Florida. The English Football Association (FA) announced that the kickoff was delayed until 5:00 PM local time (11:00 PM Central European Summer Time), pending the absence of further lightning strikes in the stadium area.
FIFA has announced ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 countries competing in 104 matches. Entry-level tickets will start at $140, while regular tickets for the final match on July 19 in New Jersey will cost up to $8,680. The tournament will mark a significant expansion from the current 32-team format, representing the largest World Cup in history. The United States, Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the event, with matches spread across venues in all three countries.
Czech tennis player Karolína Muchová will team up with American legend Serena Williams in doubles competition at an upcoming tournament in Berlin. The 29-year-old Czech player typically competes in doubles only occasionally, but achieved notable success at the 2024 Paris Olympics where she and partner Linda Nosková finished in fourth place in women's doubles.
Eight Slovak sports journalists have shared their predictions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins today with two matches and runs through July 19. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches over 40 days. According to the journalists' survey, England emerges as a potential winner despite concerns about the political climate under Donald Trump's presidency, which some predict will create an uncomfortable atmosphere. The expanded World Cup format represents the largest edition of the tournament in history, with nearly twice as many participating nations as previous tournaments.
Bayer Leverkusen has acquired young footballer Eichhorn from Hertha Berlin in a transfer move. Eichhorn is considered among the most promising talents in German football, representing a significant addition to Leverkusen's squad as the Bundesliga club continues to strengthen its roster with emerging players.
Slovak athlete Zapletalová achieved victory in Oslo with a time of 53.13 seconds. The triumph marked the first time she secured a win with a time over 53 seconds, competing in cold and windy weather conditions that likely affected performance times.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) has postponed its decision on which country will host the 2031 Nordic World Ski Championships. The announcement of the delayed verdict was met with booing and whistling from the audience, according to the German news agency DPA. The FIS had been expected to select a host nation for the prestigious winter sports event, which features cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and Nordic combined competitions held every two years.
Slovak football club Spartak Trnava has signed Czech goalkeeper Janáček to bolster their squad. The goalkeeper previously played primarily in Czech competitions, including stints with České Budějovice and Sparta Prague's reserve team. Janáček expressed immediate interest in joining the Slovak club when the opportunity arose.
Argentine defender Marcos Senesi has completed a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur from Premier League side Bournemouth. Senesi had been playing for Bournemouth since 2022, when he joined the English club from Dutch side Feyenoord Rotterdam. The move represents Tottenham's continued efforts to strengthen their defensive options in the transfer market.
Haiti's national football team was required by FIFA to alter the design of their jerseys, which featured an illustration of the Battle of Vertières from 1803. The battle was a pivotal moment in Haiti's fight for independence from French colonial rule, making it one of the most significant events in the nation's history. FIFA's intervention forces the team to remove this important historical reference from their uniforms, though the specific reasons for the governing body's decision were not disclosed.
Beijing will host the first-ever combined World Figure Skating Championships in 2028, marking a historic consolidation of the sport's premier competition. The unified championships will serve as a centerpiece event positioned between the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo and the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. This represents a significant development in figure skating's organizational structure, bringing together what have traditionally been separate world championship events into a single comprehensive competition in the Chinese capital.