Ivory Coast and Norway open a new chapter in the 2026 World Cup

Impact on the Seleção

Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá limped off the field at half-time in Brazil’s final match. A thigh injury will sideline him for the round of 16 match against Norway.

Paquetá was substituted early in the second half in the 2-1 victory over Japan on Monday. His absence represents a blow to the team, which will face Norway on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The player has been a key player in the Seleção midfield. His loss forces the coaching staff to look for alternatives. The team’s adaptation to a difficult opponent will be the main challenge.

Brazil will have to adjust its strategy without one of its most outstanding players at a critical moment in the tournament. Every decision now counts.

Wimbledon, United Kingdom — Serena Williams experienced discomfort in her right knee during her first singles match in almost four years, although her agent confirmed Wednesday that the tennis player still hopes to participate in doubles with her sister Venus.

The 44-year-old American did not seek medical attention in Tuesday’s loss to 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in the first round. Williams, owner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles – seven of them at Wimbledon – did not speak to the media after the match.

Physical condition and next steps

Despite the discomfort, the tennis legend remains optimistic about his participation in the doubles tournament. His knee will be evaluated in the coming days to determine if he will be able to compete alongside Venus. The tennis community has shown support for his return, and his performance continues to be closely followed by fans and experts.

Serena, who had not played singles in a Grand Slam since 2022, left signs of her quality in the second set, but the lack of rhythm and physical wear and tear weighed against an opponent 24 years younger. Now, attention is focused on his possible pairing with Venus, with whom he has won 14 Grand Slam titles in doubles.

The union’s proposals

Major League Baseball players presented a set of modifications to the labor regulations during a negotiation with the league. They seek to reduce optional assignments per season to minor leagues from five to three. The intention is to stop the constant rotation that teams apply in bullpens, where relievers pitch more and more innings.

The union requested that active rosters increase to 28 players during the first 15 days of each season, with a maximum of 14 pitchers — one more than the current limit of 13. In addition, they propose moving up the opening of the 60-day injured list to the tender deadline, rather than waiting for the start of spring training. This would allow teams to protect more players from the Rule 5 draft during the winter meetings, since those on that list do not count toward the 40 roster limit.

Another request: that MLB expedite eligibility for the Rule 5 draft and ensure it takes place this year, even if the administration imposes a lockout after the current labor agreement expires on December 1. They also want pitchers to be credited with major league service time if they are optioned to the minors during the All-Star break or after a game with certain performance thresholds.

Players also demand guaranteed access to teams’ non-proprietary video and performance data.

The fight for the salary cap

The owners have proposed a salary cap for the first time since the 1994-95 strike, which canceled the World Series after 90 years. Although a lockout is expected next winter, talks will intensify toward late February or early March 2027, as the risk of losing regular-season games and revenue looms. If matches are cancelled, the negotiation will become a battle over which party tolerates the greatest economic loss.