Iran’s Soccer Team May Skip World Cup in US After Recent Military Strikes

Iran's soccer federation leader says the national team's World Cup participation in the United States is uncertain following recent military exchanges between Iran and Israel. The team is scheduled to play three matches in California and Seattle.

The head of Iran’s soccer federation has cast doubt on whether the country’s national team will compete in World Cup matches scheduled on American soil, citing recent military strikes involving Iran and Israel. Federation president Mehdi Taj expressed uncertainty about his team’s participation in an interview with sports website Varzesh3.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Taj stated as Iran and Israel exchanged military strikes in an escalating regional conflict. Iran’s team has been placed in Group G for the tournament and is set to compete in two matches in Inglewood, California, with an additional game planned for Seattle.

In NASCAR history-making news from Austin, Texas, Tyler Reddick achieved an unprecedented feat by capturing his third consecutive victory to open the Cup Series season at Circuit of Americas. No driver had previously won the opening three races of a NASCAR Cup Series season until Reddick’s dominant performance on Sunday.

Racing a Toyota owned in part by basketball legend Michael Jordan, Reddick previously claimed victory at the season-opening Daytona 500 and followed up with a win in Atlanta before taking the checkered flag from pole position in Sunday’s road course event. Reddick successfully defended against a strong challenge from Shane van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing during the final 20 laps, while Jordan celebrated with the 23XI pit crew as his driver crossed the finish line. Van Gisbergen’s defeat ended his pursuit of a record-tying sixth straight road course victory. This marks Reddick’s 11th career win, adding to his previous COTA triumph in 2023.

At PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Colombian golfer Nico Echavarria claimed the Cognizant Classic title after Shane Lowry suffered a dramatic collapse in the tournament’s final holes. Despite trailing by three strokes with just three holes remaining, Echavarria managed a remarkable comeback to secure a two-stroke victory over Lowry.

The 31-year-old Echavarria carded a 5-under 66 to reach 17-under 267 for the tournament, earning his third PGA Tour title and his first victory on American soil. This win secures Echavarria’s second Masters Tournament appearance. Lowry’s chances crumbled when he sent his tee shot into the water on both the par-4 16th hole, resulting in a double bogey, and repeated the mistake on the par-3 17th.

The Los Angeles Kings made a coaching change Sunday, dismissing Jim Hiller and appointing D.J. Smith as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The decision came after the team dropped five of their last six contests and slipped out of playoff contention.

This represents the first coaching move by general manager Ken Holland, who had retained Hiller when he assumed front office duties last May. Hiller was only in his second complete season leading the Kings, who appeared lifeless during Thursday’s 8-1 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers.

USC’s men’s basketball program announced that Chad Baker-Mazara, the team’s second-highest scorer, is no longer with the team, though the university provided no explanation for his departure. Baker-Mazara contributed 14 points in the first half of Saturday’s loss to No. 12 Nebraska before taking a hard fall near the baseline.

After playing just three minutes in the second half, Baker-Mazara did not return to the game. Coach Eric Musselman revealed that Baker-Mazara informed him he was unable to continue playing. The 26-year-old graduate student from the Dominican Republic had attended five different colleges during his career, including Auburn, where he helped the team reach last season’s Final Four.

The United States women’s national soccer team extended its shutout streak to six games with a 2-0 victory over Argentina in the SheBelieves Cup in Nashville, Tennessee. Lindsey Heaps contributed both a goal and an assist, while Jaedyn Shaw also found the net in Sunday’s triumph.

Under coach Emma Hayes’ leadership, the U.S. squad has outscored opponents 27-1 across their past seven matches. The team hasn’t suffered a defeat since a 2-1 loss to Portugal in Chester, Pennsylvania, on October 23. The match saw Lily Reale leave due to a right leg injury, and Argentina’s Milagros Martín received a yellow card during stoppage time for pushing Trinity Rodman.

Paralympic champion Oksana Masters represents a unique group of elite athletes who compete in both Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, requiring mastery of completely different athletic disciplines every two years. Masters holds the distinction of being America’s most decorated Winter Paralympian.

Approximately 120 athletes have participated in both Summer and Winter Paralympics over the past two decades. Masters, a double leg amputee, has competed in every Paralympics since 2012, earning medals in Para cross-country skiing and Para biathlon during winter competitions, while also medaling in Para cycling and Para rowing in summer events.

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama expressed surprise at his team’s performance following their 114-89 defeat to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, which ended an impressive 11-game winning streak. The Spurs struggled against New York’s defensive intensity and never recovered from a devastating 26-2 run by the Knicks in the opening half.

Wembanyama had anticipated better resistance from his team at the iconic venue, but the Spurs couldn’t match their February dominance. San Antonio had posted a perfect 11-0 record in February, becoming the first NBA team in history to remain undefeated while scoring at least 110 points in every game during a month with 10 or more contests.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone exited his team’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins due to an undisclosed injury sustained in the first period. The injury occurred when Kris Letang delivered what appeared to be a routine stick check to Stone’s left arm in the neutral zone late in the opening period.

Stone immediately showed signs of pain, dropped to one knee, and skated off the ice. The 33-year-old winger has dealt with various injuries throughout his NHL career spanning more than a decade. Stone ranks as the Golden Knights’ second-leading scorer with 60 points in 42 games this season and recently helped Canada reach the Olympic final before falling to the U.S. in overtime.

During a “Saturday Night Live” appearance, U.S. women’s hockey team captain Hilary Knight delivered a comedic moment alongside the recent controversy involving both American gold medal-winning hockey teams. Knight appeared with teammate Megan Keller and men’s team brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes during host Connor Storrie’s opening monologue.

Knight jokingly mentioned that initially only the women’s team was invited to appear, but they decided to include the men as well. Her comment referenced the recent dispute that arose when President Trump invited only the men’s team to attend his State of the Union address, later joking that he would need to invite the women’s team as well to avoid impeachment.