Sports
Will Braves first baseman Matt Olson be the last MLB Iron Man of the 21st century?
It was 29 years ago this month that Cal Ripken Jr. showed us what a 20th-century Iron Man looked like. By which we mean this.
OTD in 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. took a victory lap for the ages after playing in his 2,131st consecutive game and officially breaking Lou Gehrig’s historic streak ππ§‘π€ pic.twitter.com/hzfFD2ciNz
β MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2024
But in case you hadnβt noticed, itβs a very different time to be a baseball player in North America. So on that note, hereβs what a 21st-century Iron Man looks like.
Matt Olson is closing in on his fourth career season of 162 games played. (Dale Zanine / USA Today)
Thatβs Matt Olson, who may not be as iconic as Ripken but still is a man with two current Iron Man claims to fame:
1) He has been an Atlanta Brave for three seasons now. You could locate him at first base in every darned game the Braves have played in that span β all 473 of them, the most games played by anyone in baseball since the start of 2022.
2) But thatβs not all, because if you roll the Iron Man clock back to his time in Oakland, Olson just blew past a very cool round number: 600 games played in a row.
So β¦ only another 2,000, and heβll be breathing down Ripkenβs neck hairs. Right? You think heβll take one of those Ripken-esque victory laps when he breaks the Iron Man record β¦ in 2037?
βWhat is that β like, 18 years?β Olson said, with a mathematically incorrect chuckle. βYeah, if Iβm playing when Iβm 48, Iβll take a victory lap.β
Aw heck, itβs only another 13 years. So heβs almost there. Or not. But forget that Ripken stuff. Weβre actually calling your attention to Olsonβs streak because heΒ isΒ about to pass another legendary name. And once he does, heβll carve out a slice of Iron Man history that will be all his.
This Thursday, according to STATS Perform, Olson is in line to play in his 477th consecutive game as a first baseman.Β And why is that so special? Because he will tie Pete Rose that day for the longest streak of games played at first baseΒ in the last 80 years.
Once Olson passes Rose, heβll own the second-longest streak at first base since Lou Gehrig β behind only Frank (Buck) McCormick of the 1938-42 Cincinnati Reds (652 in a row). AndΒ it will give Olson the fourth-longest streak at first of anyone in the modern eraΒ notΒ named Gehrig, trailing just McCormick, Fred Luderus (533) and Gus Suhr (505).
βThose are some cool names for sure,β Olson said. βEspecially nowadays.β
Fortunately for us, he then helpfully supplied his own definition of βnowadays.β
Nowadays, load management has become a thing in this sport, even though, in Olsonβs eyes, βweβre not full NBA.β AndΒ nowadays, matchups have also become a thing. Never in history have there been fewer true everyday players, as more teams play platoon-advantage, mix-and-match lineup bingo all over the diamond.
So letβs think about this. Will there ever be another Ripken? Will there ever even be another Matt Olson? Is the whole Iron Man concept dying before our eyes? And if it is, is that a good thing β a smart, scientific, health-driven thing? Or is it another once-romantic baseball phenomenon that is being driven out of the sport by the new wave of deep, analytical thinking?
All Olson set out to do when he began this streak was play, and be there for his team. But his streak has also given us a reason to dig in on what this all means. So letβs do that, OK?
Letβs talk history
Before we get into why Matt Olson does what he does β and why the Braves are all-in on him doing it β letβs look deeper into just how rare this is.
Life after Ripken β Did you know that since Ripkenβs streak of 2,632 consecutive games played ended in 1998, Olson is only the second player to have a consecutive games streak of 600 games or longer? The other: Miguel Tejada, who played in 1,152 in a row from 2000-07.
Heβs well positioned β But itβs the number of games Olson has strung together,Β while playing defenseΒ at his position, that truly separates his streak from almost every other recent Iron Man streak.
Even Tejada played βonlyβ 807 consecutive games at shortstop (from 2000-05), according to STATS. So Olson could pass him, for the longest streak at any position since Ripken, by April 2027.
And by the end of this season, only six men would rank ahead of Olson for the longest streaks at any position in the last 80 years:
|
SS Cal Ripken Jr. |
2,216 (1982-1996) |
|
SS Miguel Tejada |
878 (2000-2005) |
|
2B Nellie FoxΒ Β |
798 (1955-1960) |
|
CF Richie Ashburn |
694 (1950-1954) |
|
SS Roy McMillanΒ |
583 (1951-1955) |
|
3B Eddie Yost |
576 (1951-1955) |
|
1B Matt Olson |
481* (2022-24) |
(Source: STATS Perform; *projected total at end of season)
A relevant side note about that list: Just two of those six players (Ripken and Tejada) compiled those streaks in the 162-game era, now six decades old.
Cal Ripken Jr. jokes with Miguel Tejada during the 10th anniversary celebration of his record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game. (Matthew S. Gunby / Associated Press)
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Whereβs Garvey? We know what youβre thinking: What about Steve Garvey, who famously strung together a 1,207-game streak from 1975-83, as the first baseman for the Dodgers and Padres? Excellent question!
Garveyβs streak is one of three 1,000-gamers (or longer) in the last half-century. But it didnβt make the list above because he extended it seven times with pinch-hitting appearances. Therefore, it doesnβt qualify for the leaderboard of longest streaks playing first base.Β And thatβs an important distinction.
Whoβs on first β Would it shock you to know that itβs not out of the question that Olson could catch Gehrig himself? It stunned us. But weβre not talking about Gehrigβs fabled 2,130-game streak that Ripken passed. This would be only his longest streak while playing first base.
Did you know that Gehrig occasionally wore an outfield glove when the Yankees needed him to? Look it up.
And because he did, his longest consecutive-games streakΒ while playing firstΒ was βonlyβ 885 games, from 1925-30, according to STATS. That means that if Olson can keep going, he could grind past that Gehrig streak in July 2027 β¦ and (amazingly)Β rank No. 1 in the modern era.Β That could actually happen.
At that point, only two men in the modern era would stand in front of Olson at any position:
|
Cal Ripken Jr.Β |
2,216 at SS (1982-1996) |
|
Everett ScottΒ |
1,307 at SS (1916-1925) |
(Source: STATS Perform)
Are we getting ahead of ourselves? Of course we are. But what the heck. Olson has no intention of pulling the plug on this streak any time soon. So heβs closer to big-time Iron Man history than anyone seems to have noticed. Now letβs look at what drives him.
Why Matt Olson just keeps on posting
Long before Matt Olson began streaking toward Rose and Gehrig, he played all 162 games for the Aβs back in 2018. He was 24. It was his first full season in the big leagues. But he didnβt join the 162-Game Club just because the Aβs had no one else to play first. No, even back then, Olson was a man with a purpose.
βItβs kind of how I was wired, growing up, a little bit anyway,β he said. βBut when I got to the big leagues, Marcus Semien was there in Oakland. And he was adamant about playing every day.β
You hear Semienβs name a lot when this subject comes up. Maybe because the Rangersβ second baseman is about to rack up his eighth season playing 155 games or more, in just 10 seasons as a regular in the big leagues. How many other players have done that over these last 10 seasons? Yep, none.
Semien has had three seasons in that span when he played all 162 games. Thatβs tied for the most among all active players. Want to guess whoβs tied with him? Right. Matt Olson.
So even as he was still figuring out how to be an everyday player, Olson had Semienβs voice in his ear, preaching the meaning of literallyΒ playing every day. All these years later, that voice is still there. He was so conscious of Semienβs determination to will his way into the lineup every day, it was hard for Olson β and the rest of those Aβs β to envision what would happen if anyone even tried to make Semien take a day off.
βI donβt think anybody wanted to find out,β Olson said. βI remember he had, like, a little wrist thing going on one time β some inflammation, that sort of thing. The staff wanted to give him a couple days off. I donβt know exactly how it went. I just know there were some words exchanged. Then sure enough, heβs in the lineup that night.
βWhat Marcus always preached was: You owe it to your teammates and the fans (to be out there). And you get paid to play. Youβre not going to be 100 percent every game. But you know, a lot of times, Marcus Semien at 85 percent is better than a lot of other peopleβs 100 percent. So you just have to be able to find how to navigate it, maybe cut some workload down before the game β¦ so you find a way to be out there.β
Now, thatβs exactly what Olson preaches to the players around him. He says that since he arrived in Atlanta, he has never once had to fight his way into the lineup β and has never been physically hurting enough that his health even became a question.
βThe way I look at it, youβre eitherΒ hurt hurt, or youβre able to go,β he said. βSo knock on wood, I havenβt had a lot of those, like, halfway injuries β you know, something where they tell you rest would help but youβre not totally hurt.β
So heβs a firm believer in the old Marcus Semien adage: If itβs not broken, you can play. But he also has seen enough of his teammates go down around him that he knows how fortunate he is that all that stuff that can happen in baseball hasnβt happened to him.
βThereβs a ton of luck involved with that,β he said. βYou know, shoot, just look at our last 30 games, of (all the) guys getting hit by pitches.β
ThereΒ wasΒ one day in September 2022 when his manager, Brian Snitker, didnβt start him, on a Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. It was Game 152 of Olsonβs first season in Atlanta. So his streak wasnβt a topic yet. And Snitker acknowledged he wanted to give his first baseman some kind of breather β but knew going in it almost certainly wouldnβt be for all nine innings.
βI said (to him): βYou know what? Weβve got to win, like 12-0, for you not to play in that game,β Snitker recalled.
So sure enough, he subbed Olson in for defense in the eighth inning. Olson has started every day since. But that can only happen if his team buys into the meaning of that. So letβs look at β¦
Why the Braves are on board
Matt Olson admires a home run. βThe players are the ones that set the culture,β Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. (Brad Penner / USA Today)
Is less really more? People may think that way now in the inner sanctum of most franchises. But in Atlanta, they have a different motto:
More is more.
Nowhere else in baseball is the concept of posting up more ingrained in the culture than it is in the heartbeat of the Atlanta Braves. Remember 2021, when their entire starting infield played between 156 and 160 games, missing 13 games combined? That wasnβt an aberration. Itβs what they do.
Most seasons of 157+ games, 2018-23
|
Braves |
14 |
|
Royals |
7 |
|
Blue Jays |
6 |
Most seasons of 162 games, 2018-23
|
BravesΒ |
5 |
|
Other 14 NL teams combined |
5 |
So part of why heβs so committed to going out there, Olson said, is that he grew up in Georgia as a Braves fan β¦ βand thatβs just what theyβve done forever. Maybe itβs because maybe I grew up watching the Braves, and I loved seeing the guys in the lineup every day.β
That work ethic was preached by Chipper Jones, back when he was playing more than 150 games in eight seasons in a row. It was passed down to Freddie Freeman, who had six seasons as a Brave in which he missed five games or fewer. Now, itβs Olson β¦ and Austin Riley β¦ and Ozzie Albies β¦ who keep that culture alive, broken bones notwithstanding.
βIΒ donβt believe that itβs the organization thatβs setting the culture,β Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. βThe players are the ones that set the culture. Thatβs impacted by what players we acquire. But look, the βGames Playedβ column is something we looked at with Matt Olson. β¦ Obviously, heβs a very good player, but thatβs part of what drew us to him as well.β
And never have the Braves appreciated that quality more than this year, when it feels as though some sort of freak injury has knocked out everybody on the roster β¦ except Matt Olson.
But it isnβt just the Bravesβ injury epidemic that Olson has had to dodge this year. Itβs a force that can sometimes be even harder to avoid:
The Noise.
When you hit 54 homers with a .993 OPS one year β¦ and then sag to 25 homers with a .764 OPS the next, itβs amazing how all those standing ovations can turn into The Noise. When your OPS plunges by more than 200 points, The Noise can turn a guyβs dedication to playing every day into a whole different narrative: Heβs selfish. He needs a rest. Heβs killing that team. Blahblahblah.
That noise is out there. But if the Braves hear it, or care about it, theyβre doing an excellent job of disguising it.
βI hear it,β Snitker said. βBut I donβt pay attention to it, because Iβll talk to the player. And if he feels like he needs a day off, then I will. But I never (thought that), watching (Olson) and how he handled everything. It wasnβt going like he really wanted. But you know what? He came to work every day, the same guy, and I never saw that he was tired. β¦ So I just never felt like he needed it.β
Olson, not surprisingly, seconds that motion.
βYou never know when your day is going to be,β he said. βYou know, if itβs going bad, sure, I can see the benefit of sometimes sitting back and watching the game. But it doesnβt solve the problem. The only thing you can do is go out there and work your way out of something thatβs not going well. So itβs never been something thatβs really crossed my mind.β
But thereβs a bigger question out there β and it isnβt only about Matt Olson. So letβs just ask it β¦
Is it OK to ignore load management?
If Cal Ripken Jr. was just arriving in the big leagues in 2024, what would the odds be that heβd be chasing down Lou Gehrigβs record someday? What do you think β¦ 10 percent? β¦ 5 percent? β¦ 0 percent?
I asked that question of one of baseballβs brightest workload-management authorities, Casey Mulholland, the other day. He found it just as intriguing as youβd imagine.
βIt would sort of depend on what organization heβs playing for,β Mulholland said. βIt would depend on how much they value the idea of him being a franchise player for them.β
Would he be playing for a team that didnβt believe anybody should play more than 150 games? Or would he be playing for a team that did what Ripkenβs Orioles did back in the day β listen to him all those times when he said: βIβm not really hurt. Let me play. I can do this.β
βPlayers are still having that discussion,β said Mulholland, the founder/lead developer at KineticPro Performance in Tampa, Fla. βJust now, itβs becoming much more scientific, a much more mathematical discussion, versus, βHey, I feel good,β and weβre going to talk (about those) feelings and put them back out there on the field. I think thatβs the difference.β
You probably can guess where the Braves stand on the load-management spectrum. But when Snitker was asked, point blank, whether he believes in load management, he didnβt hedge.
βNo,β he replied, succinctly. βI think these guys train to do this every day, right? Because (thatβs) the Bravesβ culture. β¦ Weβve had guys with broken bones and things like that. But (that mindset of playing every day), I think that keeps them from getting the soft-tissue stuff and pulled muscles and everything.
βIβve learned that over the years. I used to think that, but after being with these guys and talking to the guys that are doing it every day, yeah, theyβve made a believer out of me.β
Β You should know that even though Snitker is 68 and a baseball lifer, he regularly displays a balance between new-age analytic concepts and age-old baseball wisdom. But which of those is βLess is Moreβ? We ask because thereβs no simpler way to explain the idea behind load management than that: Less really can be more. And the science proves it.
Mulholland often uses the analogy of a guy running a marathon who had never trained to run those 26 miles. We all know how that works out.
βSo then guys get fatigued, and then guys get hurt,β Mulholland said. βAnd thatβs the idea of load management. Weβre trying to avoid fatigue.β
But to be done right, load management needs to be nuanced. Wearable technology can provide important, detailed information on what athletes are and arenβt capable of. But Mulholland asks: Are teams actually using that data? Are those athletes even granting them permission to use it? And if not, and teams are just using arbitrary limits β 100 pitches for everyΒ pitcher, 150 games a year forΒ everyΒ position player β that can create a whole different set of issues.
Or then thereβs the even more basic question: What if this guyΒ hasΒ trained to run that marathon?
And thatβs exactly how Anthopoulos looks at Matt Olson β as just the latest star player heβs been around who has devoted his life, on and off the field, to the idea that itβs important to play every day.
βSo if heβs not on the injury report and heβs not complaining of anything,β Anthopoulos said, βweβve just had too many years and too many examples of (what heβs capable of). The guy was a top-four MVP candidate last year, and played every day. β¦ Heβs been an elite player with all those games played. So itβs hard to just all of a sudden point to that and say he needs a rest.β
If fatigue was the problem this year, how do we explain why August was Olsonβs best month (eight home runs, .573 slugging percentage, .912 OPS) of the season?
The Braves have looked long and hard at the concept of load management. But they also believe in the value of a centerpiece player who sends a message to everyone around him that the quest for greatness begins with work ethic.
βItβs all just been a mentality,β Anthopoulos said. βAnd look, obviously, some of it is luck. You can get hit by a pitch, and so on. But those guys that post and play every day, year after year, I donβt think itβs a coincidence. I donβt think itβs luck. Thereβs definitely a common trait to all these guys.β
And Matt Olson is all about that trait. He knows his streak will end someday, because all streaks do. But when it does, it wonβt be because he and his team suddenly have discovered a newfound belief in load management.
βIβm not a fan of it,β Olson said. βI mean, I can see the reasons for it. Itβs a long season. But itβs also a game of rhythm and flow. And I would rather just continue to go.β
β The Athleticβs David OβBrien contributed to this report.Β
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(Top photo: Nick Wosika / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Sports
James Harden arrested in Houston on misdemeanor weapons charge after NBA playoff exit: report
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Two weeks after being eliminated from the NBA playoffs, James Harden was reportedly arrested in Houston, where he used to play, early Saturday morning.
The California Post, citing court records, said the 11-time All-Star was placed in custody on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying of weapons.
Harden allegedly “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” had a handgun in his vehicle, the records said, according to the outlet.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during the second half of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals in Cleveland on May 24, 2027. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
The firearm “was in plain view” and “not carried in a holster.”
The outlet reported that Harden was at a local hookah lounge with friends before his arrest.
Harden’s Cleveland Cavaliers were recently swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks are one win away from their first NBA title since 1973.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information,” the Cavs said in a statement. “We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment.”
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden disputes a call during the second half of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks in Cleveland on May 24, 2027. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
TEEN PUNCHED AND KICKED INTO A COMA AFTER KNICKS-SPURS ALTERCATION NEAR MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: POLICE
The Cavs acquired Harden in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers to boost their playoff push, and they earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Harden averaged 20.5 points per game after the trade, understandably taking a back seat to Donovan Mitchell. He averaged 25.4 points per game in L.A., but the Clippers failed to make the playoffs, as they scored the sixth-fewest points per game in the NBA.
The Post said Harden is due back in court on June 22 for arraignment.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden reacts to a call during the first half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks in Cleveland on May 25, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
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Harden played for the Houston Rockets from 2012 until 2021, when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He was named the MVP of the 2017-18 season and led the NBA in scoring each season from that year through 2019-20. In that span, he averaged nearly 34 points per contest.
Follow Fox News DigitalβsΒ sports coverage on X,Β and subscribe toΒ the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The U.S. menβs soccer team chose an incredible day to have an incredible day.
Crucially, the United States aced its only chance to make a first impression, kicking off this colossal World Cup itβs co-hosting with Mexico and Canada with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay.
Consider it a save for the tournament, three points for soccer in America and maybe even a win for uniting the States.
The Americans on the pitch did all that, including making sure a sellout crowd of 70,492 fans got their moneyβs worth for their exorbitantly high-priced seats to watch football under Friday Night Lights at SoFi Stadium.
U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, right, celebrates with Sergino Dest and Chris Richards after scoring during a World Cup win over Paraguay on Friday at SoFi Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
It was not a clean sheet. And it wasnβt an elixir for all the issues β visas, tickets, transportation β that ailed the tournament in its buildup.
But the opening statement by the United States confirmed what we thought might be true. Only one thing could save this soccer tournament: soccer.
The U.S. delivered a performance to change the conversation β for the next few weeks and maybe longer.
Making history to alter history.
The United States scored multiple goals in a World Cup first half for the first time since 2002.
It got two of them from Folarin Balogun, the Brooklyn-born, England-raised forward of Nigerian descent who became just the second USMNT player to score two goals in a World Cup game and the first since 1930.
Got a perfect match from Chris Richards, the afro-rocking defender with the long, loping strides, who was 83 for 83 on his passes. Thatβs better than any player at a World Cup since 1966.
And if possession is nine-tenths of the law of attraction, know that the Americans possessed the ball 71% of the first half, most in the first half of a World Cup game in the modern era.
Landon Donovan, star of the 2002 team that reached the World Cup quarterfinals β a record that still stands β posted on X: βFrom start to finish, that was the most enjoyable day of soccer Iβve ever experienced.β
Thatβs the stuff that will get the American people going. Get us invested, get us behind them. That could convert even devout casuals.
Americans love a good underdog story. We also want the best, the finest, the biggest β and this, with its expanded field of 48, is the biggest version of the biggest and best tournament in the world.
And the only thing we love more than winning is dominating. The United States did that Friday against a Paraguayan team that had allowed only 10 goals in 18 World Cup qualifying matches, and whom the United States beat 2-1 in a tense match in November.
Fans cheer during the U.S. win over Paraguay in their World Cup opener Saturday at SoFi Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
That was Mauricio Pochettino and his players helping us help them.
βThe fans, amazing,β said Pochettino, the teamβs accomplished Argentine coach. βOn behalf of the whole team, a massive thank you to the fans. Because the energy that they [gave] to the team was amazing. We can do amazing things if the fans are in this as well.β
Friday was so good for soccer in America.
And so good for America. The kind of butt-kicking thatβs chicken soup for a nationβs soul.
Maybe itβs idealistic and naive, or apple-pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking, but I believe that they can win. (And by win, I mean make the quarterfinals again.)
Thereβs no removing politics from this World Cup, but wouldnβt it be fun to all rally behind a team together? Canβt you see the country coalescing behind the right wingers and left wingers on the pitch? Picture people celebrating the freedom inherent in Pochettinoβs system? Cheering the all-for-one and one-for-all of this team of dual nationals and Americans raised abroad β or in Alabama?
Postmatch, Pochettino refused to single out any one player, instead giving reporters a recitation of his roster: β[Christian Pulisic] was amazing [setting up two goals]. Balogun was amazing, of course. Tim Ream was amazing, of course. Chris Richards was amazing, yes. Weston McKennie, he was amazing, amazing. Antonee Robinson, Alex Freeman, amazing. SergiΓ±o Dest, amazing β¦β
Like they put it on the @USMNT Instagram account: βTogether as Won.β
U.S. soccer, amazing.
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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, Americaβs 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 11βJuly 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.Β
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:Β Watch Switzerland vs Canada β BC Place Vancouver (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group B:Β Watch Bosnia vs Qatar β Seattle Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group C:Β Watch Brazil vs Scotland β Miami Stadium (6 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group C:Β Watch Morocco vs HaitiΒ β Atlanta Stadium (6 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group A:Β Watch Mexico vs Czechia β Mexico City Stadium (9 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group A:Β Watch South Korea vs South AfricaΒ β Monterrey Stadium (9 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
June 25
- Group E:Β Watch Ecuador vs Germany β New York New Jersey Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group E:Β Watch CuracΜ§ao vs Ivory Coastt β Philadelphia Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group F:Β Watch Tunisia vs Netherlands β Kansas City Stadium (7 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group F:Β Watch Japan vs Swedenβ Dallas Stadium (7 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group D:Β USA vs TΓΌrkiye β Los Angeles Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group D:Β Watch Paraguay vs Australia β San Francisco Bay Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
June 26
- Group I:Β Watch Norway vs France β Boston Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group I:Β Watch Senegal vs IraqΒ Β β Toronto Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group H:Β Watch Uruguay vs Spain β Guadalajara Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group H:Β Watch Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia β Houston Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group G:Β Watch New Zealand vs Belgium β BC Place Vancouver (11 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group G:Β Watch Egypt vs Iran β Seattle Stadium (11 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
June 27
- Group L:Β Watch Panama vs England βNew York New Jersey Stadium (5 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group L:Β Watch Croatia vs Ghana β Philadelphia Stadium (5 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group K:Β Watch Colombia vs Portugal β Miami Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group K:Β Watch DR Congo vs Uzbekistan β Atlanta Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One)
- Group J:Β Watch Argentina vs Jordan β Dallas Stadium (10 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)
- Group J:Β Watch Algeria vs Austria β 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 11βJuly 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.
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