This time next week, the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup will be officially underway.
Co-hosts Mexico will play the first match of the tournament against South Africa at 5am next Friday (AEST). 

The Socceroos are in Group D, alongside Paraguay, Türkiye, and co-hosts the U.S. Before their campaign begins, they’ll face Switzerland this Sunday in their final warm-up match. Last weekend,  Australia took on world No.15 Mexico and went down 1-0 in an encouraging performance. 

In the lead-up, let us know (by replying to this email) what burning questions you might have or anything you’d like to see in the newsletter. 

We’ll do our best to make sure you’re ready to talk football for the full five and a half weeks (39 days!) of action.

🎾 The French Open women's final is set, and a first-time Grand Slam champion is guaranteed. Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska, ranked 114th in the world, will take on Russian teenager and world No. 8 Mirra Andreeva on Saturday. In the semifinals overnight, Chwalińska defeated Russia’s Diana Shnaider in straight sets, shortly after Andreeva had beaten Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, also in straight sets. Chwalińska is the first qualifier ever to reach the Roland Garros final and only the third woman in the Open era (since 1968) to make it on her French Open debut, after Australian great Evonne Goolagong in 1971 and Chris Evert in 1973. 

🏉 The Adelaide Crows landed their first win over a top-eight side this season, edging Geelong 75-74 at Adelaide Oval. Adelaide had not beaten Geelong since 2021, and the result boosts its push for a finals spot. Captain Jordan Dawson starred with three goals. The match was decided by the finest of margins after a late shot from forward Darcy Fogarty, initially signalled a goal, was downgraded to a point by the score review. It was the Crows' eighth game this season decided by 14 points or fewer. Meanwhile, the Cats have now lost their last two matches.

🏉 The Manly Sea Eagles have celebrated Kieran Foran’s appointment as permanent head coach this week in style, beating South Sydney 28-14 at Brookvale Oval on Thursday night. Foran initially took over as interim coach when Anthony Seibold was sacked three games into the season, and has now won eight of his 10 games in charge. Winger Jason Saab starred for the Sea Eagles with two tries. South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett expressed disappointment in his side, who now sit seventh on the ladder, saying: “We’re well into the season, and we should be playing good football…our performances are going backwards.”

🏏 Pakistan have won their one-day international (ODI) series against Australia 2-1, taking the decider in Lahore by four wickets on Thursday. Stand-in captain Josh Inglis top-scored with 65, but Australia collapsed to be all out for 157, losing their last seven wickets for 38 runs. Aussie spinner Matt Kuhnemann fought back with three wickets, including bowling Pakistan's Babar Azam, though it was not enough. It is Pakistan's third straight 2-1 ODI series win over Australia. The Aussies will now prepare for another ODI series against Bangladesh beginning next week.

Talking points: It is a big weekend for Australian rugby, with  the Brumbies and Reds the last local teams standing in  the Super Rugby Pacific finals, while a new Super Rugby Women’s season also gets underway. The Brumbies travel to Wellington to face the Hurricanes on Friday, with the hosts recalling its All Blacks stars, including  co‑captains Du’Plessis Kirifi and Jordie Barrett. The Crusaders then meet the Blues on Saturday before the Chiefs host the Queensland Reds. Super Rugby Women also kicks off this weekend , with the NSW Waratahs hosting long‑time rivals Fijiana Drua. Debutants Piper Simons and Pleuni Klevit join Emily Chancellor, while rising star Caitlyn Halse returns from injury. The Queensland Reds face the ACT Brumbies on Sunday, with Reds recruit and former Black Ferns prop Tanya Kalounivale set for her Super Rugby W debut. The Brumbies will welcome back  Wallaroos Player of the Year Tabua Tuinakauvadra from injury. The Western Force are set to kick off their season next week against Fijiana Drua in Nadi.

How to watch: You can watch it all on Stan Sport. Scroll down to our sports schedule to catch the exact times.

Talking points: The French Open reaches its pointy end this weekend with two first-time Grand Slam champions set to be crowned in Paris. The action begins tonight with the men’s semi-finals. World No.3 Alexander Zverev will take on 20-year-old Czech rising star Jakub Menšík before an all-Italian semifinal between 10th Seed Flavio Cobolli and unseeded Matteo Arnaldi. Zverev, who has reached three major finals in his career but never won, is the favourite to win the tournament. On Saturday night, Poland’s Maja Chwalińska will look to become just the second qualifier to win a Grand Slam, following Emma Radacanu’s 2021  U.S. Open triumph, when she faces 19-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the women’s final. It’s set to be a very exciting weekend of tennis, capping off one of the most unpredictable Grand Slam tournaments in years. 

How to watch: The first men’s semifinal will begin at 10:30pm tonight (AEST). You can watch the French Open on Channel 9, 9Now, and Stan Sport.

Talking points: Formula 1 hits the streets of Monaco on Sunday for round six of a season which has been reshaped by sweeping new regulations. Mercedes have been the big early winners with 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli leading  the championship on 131 points after four straight wins, 43 clear of teammate George Russell. Australia's Oscar Piastri, a title contender until the closing weeks of 2025, has struggled to adapt and sits sixth behind teammate Lando Norris. The McLaren pair will be looking to make a mark this weekend as the team starts in its 1000th Grand Prix. Ferrari arrives as favourites, with Monaco native Charles Leclerc chasing a second win on his own streets. Overtaking is famously near-impossible here, so Saturday's qualifying could prove decisive.

How to watch: The Monaco GP will begin at 11pm on Sunday (AEST). You can watch Formula One on Foxtel or Kayo. 

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