Today, there were four draws on a single day at the World Cup for the first time in 68 years. The last time it happened was at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.

If only there were a nice one-liner I could use to tie this intro up too.

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The number of games Tunisia's football coach, Sabri Lamouchi, oversaw at the 2026 World Cup before he was sacked. The former France international was dismissed hours after a 5-1 loss to Sweden in the Group F opener on Sunday, making him the first coach to lose his job during this tournament. Mondher Kebaier is set to replace Lamouchi as interim coach. Tunisia, ranked 56th in the world, also sacked its coach mid-tournament back in 1998 after two matches.

“You never know when it’s going to be your last. The last Commonwealth [Games] could have been my last. After LA, I’m going to take some time off and probably think about what I want to do. I’m not putting something out of the question at all. I just need the time off.”
Five-time Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown speaking to AAP after her selection in Australia’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month. The 24-year-old will be competing in her third Commonwealth Games, having previously spoken about needing a mental reset after her run at the Paris Olympics, where she successfully defended Olympic titles in the 100m and 200m backstroke. She hasn’t ruled out an Olympic Games on home soil at Brisbane 2032.

The fastest goal by a substitute in World Cup history belongs to Uruguay's Richard Morales. He came off the bench against Senegal in 2002 and scored after just 16 seconds.

🏉 Collingwood have emerged as a surprise contender for Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale, the dual Brownlow medallist who is off contract at the end of this season. The 33-year-old had been widely tipped to head west to be near his family in Perth. The Magpies are reportedly prepared to table a three-year deal worth up to $AU3 million, which would carry him to age 36. A Victorian move would be a twist few saw coming, including Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, who said to SEN last week: “That would be a bit of a head-scratcher for me.”

🏏 The Big Bash League (BBL) has edged closer to private ownership after Cricket Australia and the six state associations backed a self-determination model in principle on Monday. The model would let each state decide on its own whether or not to sell stakes in its clubs. Cricket Victoria is poised to move first by selling the Melbourne Renegades licence and rebranding its other club, the Stars. Plenty remains unresolved, with four governance and funding conditions to settle and the players' union vowing to block the plan.

Aussies are transforming safety for construction workers using AI.

Presien, a physical AI company built for heavy industry, used Claude to develop an agentic platform that analyses worksites around the clock—surfacing risks before they become issues, cutting critical safety events by over 70% in three months.

Cape Verde has pulled off a stunning World Cup upset on its tournament debut, holding European champions Spain to a 0-0 draw. Cape Verde entered the match ranked 67th in the world, while Spain was ranked second. The 65-place gap is the largest at any World Cup where the higher-ranked team has failed to win.

Cape Verde is an island nation off the coast of West Africa with a population of around 525,000. Spain, by comparison, has a population of about 48 million and is one of just eight countries to have won the FIFA World Cup, lifting the trophy in 2010. 

New Zealand and Iran traded blows in their Group G opener in Los Angeles, with the match ending in a 2-2 draw. Forward Elijah Just scored twice for New Zealand, only for Iran to level the scores each time through Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi. The Kiwis remain without a win at a FIFA World Cup. Iran is based in Mexico for the tournament, with players flying into the U.S. only on match days because ofthis year's war and a visa row with Washington. Group G is wide open after Egypt held Belgium to a 1-1 draw. 

Australian video assistant referee (VAR) Shaun Evans has been cleared by FIFA over a hand gesture some interpreted as a ‘white power’ symbol. Evans made an upside-down 'OK' sign in the VAR hub before Germany's 7-1 win over Curaçao. He denied any intent, calling it an "involuntary, subconscious twitch". He added: "The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am. Of course, I understand how the gesture has been interpreted, and I regret this." Anti-discrimination group Fare had called for Evans to be removed from his role at the tournament, but FIFA found no breach.

Wednesday (AEST) will feature four World Cup matches. In Group I, 2022 runners-up France will take on Senegal, while superstar Erling Haaland's Norway faces Iraq, who are coached by Australian and former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold. In Group J, defending champions Argentina meet Algeria before Austria takes on Jordan.

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New South Wales will have the opportunity to wrap up the 2026 State of Origin series tomorrow night when they meet Queensland in Game 2 at the MCG. 

The Blues lost last year's series 2-1 but can reclaim the shield with a win in Melbourne, having won Game 1 in Sydney. 

The Blues come into tomorrow night’s match after having pulled off the biggest comeback in State of Origin history three weeks ago in Sydney. The Maroons dominated for most of the match and led the Blues 20-0 before halftime. In the second half, Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off, and the Blues scored three tries in 16 minutes to win 22-20. 

History favours the Blues at the MCG, where they have won five of six Origin games. Queensland's only success at the venue came back in 1995. The Maroons have also lost Game 2 in six of the past eight series. A big crowd is expected, with the last game at the venue in 2024 drawing more than 90,000. Game 3 will be played in Brisbane. 

Coach Laurie Daley welcomes back two starting players who missed Game 1 through injury. Parramatta playmaker Mitchell Moses returns at five-eighth after a hamstring complaint, and Brisbane prop Payne Haas is back from a knee problem. Meanwhile, Casey McLean has been ruled out with a quad injury, and Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase will start in his Origin debut with Manly’s Tolutau Koula shifting to the centres. 

Knights forward Dylan Lucas will also make his Origin debut after Haumole Olakau'atu was dropped. Roosters veteran James Tedesco, meanwhile, brings up his 25th Origin to become the Blues' third-most capped player.

Queensland coach Billy Slater has brought fullback Reece Walsh back into the side. The Broncos star will start on the bench for his first Origin since the 2024 series, with Ponga retained at fullback after being cleared over his Game 1 send-off. They are also without Broncos forward Patrick Carrigan, out for the rest of the series with an ankle injury. 

Maroons prop Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is set to play after his father Fereti died on Saturday after a battle with cancer. Fa'asuamaleaui initially stayed in Queensland with family but has since rejoined the squad in Melbourne. Maroons hooker Harry Grant said the team "have all got Tino's back”.