Sports
Looking to calm your nerves? Here are 4 tips from Super Bowl champions
While running out onto the field for the first time before Super Bowl LIV’s kickoff in 2020, Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt remembers looking up and seeing a piece of trivia on the video board: If the Chiefs win today, Dustin joins his dad, Craig, and brother, Britton, as a Super Bowl champion.
It immediately triggered a bout of overthinking and anxiety.
“Oh crap,” Colquitt thought.
To calm his nerves, he used a simple remedy: a series of breathing exercises on the sideline.
People everywhere deal with similar surges of pressure or nervousness. The professional football players who have made it to the Super Bowl are experiencing those same feelings, but on a public stage, elevated for tens of millions to see. The extremeness of it all forces them to figure out how to conquer those emotions in ways we can also apply ahead of a big job interview, a public speaking engagement or any pressure moment in our lives.
Here are four tips on how to quiet your mind from Super Bowl champions.
Find a helpful distraction
In the middle of Super XLIX in 2015, Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin felt some anxiety creeping in. It was weird to him, after entering the game with what he called an “overwhelming sense of confidence.” But he knew where the anxiety was coming from.
“This may sound silly, but as a receiver, the confidence of being able to catch the ball sometimes leaves you,” he said.
It’s why he had practiced a few techniques ahead of time, one of which he started to do at that moment.
He closed his eyes and stuck his hands out in front of him. Then, using his thumb, he touched each one of his fingertips, one by one, and repeatedly tapped his fingers.
“What it was doing was re-grounding me in that moment,” Baldwin explained. “Kind of helping me get in tune with my body. The simple touching of your fingertips, that sends electro signals throughout your body.”
It also serves as a distraction, something Baldwin knew he needed in pressure-packed moments. Only an hour or two earlier, he preoccupied himself on his phone with his favorite strategy game at the time, “Galaxy On Fire: Alliances.”
“I could distract my mind and go to something that was a little bit more controllable and lighthearted,” he said.
Other Super Bowl champions, like Colquitt, had similar approaches with music. Colquitt said while some of his teammates got ready for big games with loud hype music, he preferred the calmness of Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett. The consistency of his music selections also helped ease his mind.
“I knew that if I listened to my music, it felt like just another game, just another opponent,” he said.
Breath work can quickly recalibrate you
While preparing to play in the Super Bowl, Colquitt took a moment for himself, like he did before every game, to simply focus on his breathing. With indie rock music still humming in his ears, he started with the number 13.
For 13 seconds, he held his breath, then released his breath slowly for another 13 seconds. Counting down by increments of three, he held his breath for 10 seconds and released it for another 10 seconds. Until he got down to three.
“It would start kind of slowing my heart rate down,” Colquitt said. “In between that and the music, it kept me at a calm or a peace. Just kind of took the nerves out of everything.”
Similarly, before former Steelers guard Willie Colon played in Super Bowl XLIII, he put on his uniform, listened to the song “Closer” by Goapele on repeat and began to count.
“I would count to 10 and then from 10 go all the way to one and then go all the way back to 10,” he said. “Just counting and focusing on my breathing really calmed my nerves. That was something that always helped me.”
For Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan, breath work was not only helpful before pressure moments, but during them, too.
Ryan was in his second year in the NFL when he made his first Super Bowl in 2015, and even though the Patriots won, he wasn’t pleased with his mentality.
“I found myself playing it safe,” he said. “I didn’t want to be the reason we lost. I just wasn’t taking a risk because I knew what was at stake. I told myself I was never going to play a Super Bowl like that again.”
When he made the Super Bowl with the Patriots a second time, two years later, he resolved to not be afraid of the moment and play fearlessly.
By his third Super Bowl in the final year of his career, this time with the San Francisco 49ers in 2024, he said he was in the “most zen state he ever played a game.”
In large part that was because of breathing techniques he had learned to center himself. Through breath work, he mastered how to track his heart rate and drop it. On the bench during the game, and even on the field before plays, he used the technique to get into a relaxed state.
“Just let it go,” he said. “Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. I really just wanted to be in the moment, and I think the breath work really kept me in the moment.”
Both Ryan and Colon still use breath work to calm their minds before big meetings or broadcasting games.
Visualization can be powerful
Every night before a game, Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright would take 10 minutes alone. No phone, no TV, just total silence.
For those 10 minutes he would play out the upcoming game in his mind.
“I’d talk to myself,” he said. “I’d say: ‘You’re going to make every tackle. This is what’s coming your way.’ Just bringing that energy to me, bringing that positive success to me. That was a freaking game-changer. I swear by that.”
Another Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith, the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014, had a slightly different twist. While he prepared during the week for perfection, he also reminded himself before the game that imperfections are part of it and that was OK.
“You knew you were going to make a mistake; it’s not going to be perfect,” he said. “Don’t set the expectation that it’s going to go perfect. You’ll make a mistake, knock it out and just keep going.”
Embrace the big moment
Sometimes the immensity of an opportunity can overwhelm. Both Smith and Baldwin leaned into it.
Smith continuously reminded himself that the hype of the Super Bowl shouldn’t freak him out; it should excite him. He was calmer in that game than any other game he ever played in, he said.
“There was no imposter syndrome because we had proven that we deserved to be there,” Smith said. “Typically if you have a big day, it’s often because you earned that opportunity to be there. That helped me to calm down and be present.”
“Let the moment be the moment,” Baldwin said. “Enjoy the moment and be present with the moment, regardless of what comes in that moment. It’s a very powerful antidote to anxiety and doubt.”
Bruce Arians, who won a Super Bowl in 2021 as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, just wanted to be himself. So he did what he always did the night before a game: a couple of drinks and a good night’s sleep. After all, he figured that had been good enough to get him to the Super Bowl.
“I never tried to change,” Arians said. “I tried to stay the same. Just keep the routine the same so there’s no more extra hype.”
(Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
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The wait is over. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to 16 different cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States this summer, and you’ll be able to catch all the action with FOX Sports, America’s English-language home for the 48-team soccer bonanza.
Here is the full broadcast schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and how you can watch every game:
How to Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps.
JUMP TO: Group Stage | Knockout Rounds | World Cup Final
2026 World Cup Group Stage Schedule:
June 11, 2026
June 12
June 13
June 14
June 15
June 16
June 17
June 18
June 19
June 20
June 21
June 22
June 23
June 24
- Group B: Watch Switzerland vs Canada — BC Place Vancouver (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group B: Watch Bosnia vs Qatar — Seattle Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group C: Watch Brazil vs Scotland — Miami Stadium (6 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group C: Watch Morocco vs Haiti — Atlanta Stadium (6 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group A: Watch Mexico vs Czechia — Mexico City Stadium (9 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group A: Watch South Korea vs South Africa — Monterrey Stadium (9 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
June 25
- Group E: Watch Ecuador vs Germany — New York New Jersey Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group E: Watch Curaçao vs Ivory Coastt — Philadelphia Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group F: Watch Tunisia vs Netherlands — Kansas City Stadium (7 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group F: Watch Japan vs Sweden— Dallas Stadium (7 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group D: USA vs Türkiye – Los Angeles Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group D: Watch Paraguay vs Australia — San Francisco Bay Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
June 26
- Group I: Watch Norway vs France — Boston Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group I: Watch Senegal vs Iraq — Toronto Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group H: Watch Uruguay vs Spain — Guadalajara Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group H: Watch Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia — Houston Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group G: Watch New Zealand vs Belgium — BC Place Vancouver (11 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group G: Watch Egypt vs Iran — Seattle Stadium (11 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
June 27
- Group L: Watch Panama vs England —New York New Jersey Stadium (5 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group L: Watch Croatia vs Ghana — Philadelphia Stadium (5 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group K: Watch Colombia vs Portugal — Miami Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group K: Watch DR Congo vs Uzbekistan — Atlanta Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group J: Watch Argentina vs Jordan — Dallas Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group J: Watch Algeria vs Austria — Kansas City Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
2026 World Cup Schedule: Knockout Round
Round of 32
June 28
June 29
June 30
July 1
July 2
July 3
Round of 16
July 4
July 5
July 6
July 7
Quarterfinals
July 9
July 10
July 11
Semifinals
July 14
July 15
World Cup Final
July 19
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The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps.
The U.S. men’s national team made its first World Cup game on home soil in 32 years one to remember, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in front of a sold-out crowd at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood on Friday night.
Here’s a look at some of the best moments before and during the game as captured by the Los Angeles Times photography staff:
U.S. fans march to Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) before the start of the U.S.-Paraguay World Cup match Friday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
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1. David Beckham, right, and Tom Cruise waves to fans before the World Cup group stage match. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 2. Katy Perry, right, and Tius Luka perform during the World Cup opening ceremony before the U.S.-Paraguay match. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 3. U.S. players, left, and Paraguay players enter the pitch before their World Cup group stage match. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic, right, controls the ball in front of Paraguay defender Juan Jose Caceres during the first half Friday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. defender Antonee Robinson, right, and Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez battle for the ball during the first half. (Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie celebrates after a U.S. goal in the first half against Paraguay. (Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. star Christian Pulisic celebrates after a goal in the first half of a 4-1 win over Paraguay at the World Cup on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium).
(Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. players and coach Mauricio Pochettino, center, celebrate after a 4-1 win over Paraguay in the World Cup at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) on Friday night.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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1. Paraguay midfielder Cristian Roldan heads the ball over U.S. striker Folarin Balogun during the second half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 2. Paraguay forward Julio Enciso jumps over U.S. defender Chris Richards during the second half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3. A stage is placed for the opening ceremony before the start of the U.S. vs. Paraguay match at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) on Friday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Fans cheer during the United States’ 4-1 win over Paraguay at the World Cup on Friday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The wait is officially over. The FIFA World Cup has arrived.
For the first time ever, three nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada are co-hosting the tournament. It is also the largest FIFA World Cup in history, expanding to a 48-team field. Squads from around the world have arrived in North America with one ultimate goal: capturing the iconic World Cup trophy.
Here’s the latest look at some of the most notable news surrounding the World Cup.
June 12:
Official Injury Update On Neymar
Brazilian star Neymar Jr. will officially miss Brazil’s opening match against Morocco on Saturday. Neymar was named to Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad despite a calf injury, and now won’t be available early on. Manager Carlo Ancelotti said that “Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible.
“The expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week.”
Google Doodle Has World Cup Fever
In case fans didn’t already have World Cup fever, they can open their web browser.
Google is officially ready for USA’s opener against Paraguay, as the home page features a custom, USA-themed Google Doodle.
The Doodle features red text with a blue outline, as well as a soccer ball along with an interchanging USA crest replacing the “O’s” in Google.
James Cordon Stretches With Christian Pulisic
James Corden joined Christian Pulisic and the United States men’s national team for a training session ahead of their World Cup opener against Paraguay.
After meeting with head coach Mauricio Pochettino and going through a film session with the players, Corden and Co. hit the pitch for practice, where he helped serve as a water boy.
Corden tried to help Pulisic stretch out his legs after practice before he was stopped by a member of the coaching staff. As Corden walked off, Pulisic sprayed him with a water bottle.
DR Congo Arrives to the World Cup in Style
The DR Congo men’s national team isn’t set to play until Wednesday, June 17, against Portugal in Group K, but they’ve already made a statement upon arrival in Houston, Texas.
The squad arrived in style, stepping off the plane in striking black, jaguar-inspired outfits that quickly turned heads. The bold look fits their nickname, Les Léopards, and sets the tone for their World Cup presence before they even face Portugal.
DR Congo may be heavy underdogs, but they’re already winning where it counts off the pitch, taking the fashion battle before kickoff.
Canada’s Jesse Marsch Takes Dig At USA
The Canadian men’s national team is set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday afternoon. Ahead of the match, head coach Jesse Marsch took a subtle jab at the United States men’s national team during his remarks on Thursday.
“In the U.S., we had to beg players to sing the national anthem,” Marsch said.
The United States conducted a months-long search for a new head coach in 2023, with Marsch emerging as the frontrunner and making it clear he wanted the job. Instead, they chose to rehire Gregg Berhalter, a decision that may have left Marsch with some lingering resentment.
Marsch’s subtle jab could take on added stakes if the United States and Canada meet during the FIFA World Cup. The two nations could potentially face off as early as the Round of 32 or the Round of 16.
June 11:
The pressure of competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is high, but that hasn’t stopped players from enjoying some downtime with their teammates. Norway star Erling Haaland was spotted at the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Haaland appeared to be enjoying himself as the Hurricanes secured a Game 5 victory, taking a 3-2 series lead over the Golden Knights. The Manchester City striker drew plenty of attention from fans in attendance as he took in the action from the stands.
The Norway star was seen celebrating in the stands before turning his attention back to international duty, with Norway set to face Iraq in Group 1 play on Tuesday, June 16.
Australia Coach Popovic Signs Extension
Australia coach Tony Popovic has signed a contract extension through early 2027 on the eve of his team’s World Cup opening match against Turkey on Saturday.
Football Australia said Friday that the 52-year-old Popovic’s deal now extends through the Asian Cup, which will take place in January and early February in Saudi Arabia.
The former Australia international was hired in September 2024 and led the Socceroos to qualification for the 48-team tournament.
“I’m proud to lead my country into a World Cup, but most importantly, I want to ensure that our team is fully prepared and focused on our group matches against Turkey, the United States, and Paraguay,” he said of Australia’s opponents in Group D.
Canada Captain Sidelined For Opening Match
Canada’s captain and star defender Alphonso Davies will miss Canada’s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Davies’ status has been questionable due to an ACL tear and other injuries during the club season, which limited Davies to appearing in two of Canada’s last 21 games.
Davies is one of the co-host’s more valuable players in terms of talent and experience, including 58 appearances in nine years with the national team. However, Davies’ injury does not rule him out of the entire tournament. His injury update and restraint from the opening match serves as a caution to heal his injury as the group stage unfolds.
After playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS, Davies transferred to Bayern Munich, where he’s played since 2019. Canada is set to play Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, followed by Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24.
Captain Wataru Endo Withdraws From World Cup
Just ahead of Japan’s opening match against the Netherlands on June 14, captain and midfielder Wataru Endo has withdrawn his name from Japan’s World Cup squad and paired it with his national team retirement, per his statement on X. Endo has been dealing with an ongoing ankle/foot injury since February.
Endo has played for the Japan national team for over a decade, where he made 73 appearances and scored four goals. As a veteran anchor in the midfield, Endo has also served as Japan’s captain since their previous World Cup in 2022, where they reached the Round of 16.
As for Endo’s professional career, he first played for Shanon Bellmare from 2010-15, followed by the Urawa Red Diamonds from 2016-19, VfB Stuttgart from 2019-23 and has played for Liverpool FC since 2023. With Liverpool, Endo played a prominent role in the team’s Carabao Cup victory in 2024.
With Endo out, Japan has officially called Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Shuto Machino to join the 26-man roster. Machino is entering his second World Cup and his fifth year with the Japan national team.
Marco Senesi Called Up To 26-Man Roster
Following the injury of defender Leonardo Balerdi, Argentina has officially called up defender Marcos Senesi to the 26-man roster. Argentina is set to open their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Algeria.
Senesi has been training prior in case of a last-minute call-up, and was named to the roster after Balerdi’s muscle injury was ruled out. Senesi has played professionally since 2016, playing for clubs like San Lorenzo, Feyenoord, AFC Bournemouth and is currently with Tottenham Hotspur.
Joining Senesi in the back are defenders Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi and Cristian Romero.
In what’s likely to be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, Argentina will look to repeat their historic 2022 World Cup win this tournament.
Tyler Adams, USA Celebrate Shocking Knicks’ W
Tyler Adams, United States’ midfielder, is a fan of the National Basketball Association’s New York Knicks. The Knicks are in the NBA Finals, on the eve of the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, so members of the United States’ squad gathered together to watch what turned out to be the largest NBA Finals comeback in history, with the Knicks coming out on top.
When New York won, the room erupted, with Adams especially going wild. And we know this because the reaction was caught on camera in the moment.
That couch is destroyed, but at least no one watching the game ended up as damaged as it did after Adams went climbing and kicking all over it! If the United States ends up having a major comeback or win in the World Cup, maybe keep the players away from any obstacles like that, though. Just to be safe.
Morocco Loses 2 Players To Injury Before World Cup
Morocco replaced two injured players in its World Cup squad ahead of an opening game against Brazil, including star winger Abde Ezzalzouli.
FIFA confirmed late Wednesday that former Barcelona player Ezzalzouli and Marseille defender Nayef Aguerd were withdrawn from the Morocco squad for the tournament.
Ezzalzouli helped Real Betis qualify for next season’s Champions League and was a potential breakout star at the World Cup. Aguerd was a cornerstone of Morocco’s historic semifinals team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
They were replaced by Amine Sbai of French club Angers and Marwane Saadane, who plays in Saudi Arabia for Al Fateh.
Morocco opens against Brazil on Saturday at MetLife Stadium near New York, then plays Scotland on June 19 near Boston and finishes Group C against Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta.
Ezzalzouli injured his right knee in a warmup game against Norway last weekend, though initial tests suggested he could be retained in coach Mohamed Ouahbi’s squad to play in the knockout rounds.
Surprise World Cup Comeback For Austrian Midfielder
The last time Dejan Ljubicic played for Austria was nearly three years ago. Now a teammate’s injury has given him a surprise comeback at the World Cup.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick called up Ljubicic late Wednesday to replace key midfielder Christoph Baumgartner, who injured his right thigh while warming up for a pre-World Cup friendly against Tunisia last week and needed surgery.
Ljubicic is set to join Austria at the team camp in Santa Barbara on Thursday, ahead of the team’s first game on Tuesday against Jordan. Austria also plays Argentina and Algeria in Group J.
He’s more of a defensive midfield option than Baumgartner, who scored 17 goals in all competitions for Leipzig in Germany last season and has remained in camp to support the team.
Ljubicic also plays in Germany on the Schalke team which secured promotion from the second division last month.
Ljubicic has nine games for Austria but none at a major tournament. His last appearance was in a friendly against Moldova in September 2023, and he wasn’t in the squad for any World Cup qualifiers.
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