World Cup Semifinals Set, Josh Allen Tops QB Rankings, Wemby Contract Debate: Sports Roundup July 13, 2026

The 2026 World Cup now has its four semifinalists, and the tournament has delivered a defining moment on a defining day: Lamine Yamal turns 18 years old on July 13, the same date the competition itself was born in 1930, a coincidence that feels less like trivia and more like narrative inevitability for a player who has carried Spain through the knockout rounds with a composure that defies his age. The bracket is set, the stakes are clear, and every match from here determines legacy.

World Cup 2026: Semifinalists Confirmed, Yamal Moment Defines the Tournament

The Four Teams Still Standing

With the quarterfinals complete, the World Cup has its final four. Follow all the news, video analysis, and match coverage through the ESPN Soccer hub and track results in real time on our live scores page. The competition, administered by FIFA, is delivering on the promise of its expanded 48-team format, which has introduced new nations to the world stage while still producing elite football at the final eight. For live scores and streaming options, visit our live scores page and streaming guide.

Pulisic Under the Microscope

Christian Pulisic has become the tournament's most debated American figure, and now that debate has migrated to mainstream sports media. Pat McAfee drew a pointed comparison between Pulisic and Paul George, a framing that cuts at the central tension in how American fans evaluate Pulisic: a player with genuine top-level ability whose performances in the moments that matter most invite scrutiny rather than celebration. George spent years as a player whose regular-season numbers and reputation outpaced his playoff production. McAfee is suggesting Pulisic operates in a similar space, capable and often brilliant, but not yet the player who takes over when the tournament demands it. It is a harsh read, but not one without evidence, and it will define how this World Cup shapes Pulisic's long-term standing with the American public.

Kits, History, and Maradona

With 48 nations in the field, this World Cup has produced more than 100 official kits, the most in tournament history. The full ranking from worst to first offers a detailed look at which programs brought visual identity and which arrived in forgettable polyester. Separately, footage and recollections of Diego Maradona reliving his Hand of God goal against England continue to circulate, a reminder that World Cup mythology does not expire. That goal, scored in the 1986 quarterfinal, remains the most debated single moment in tournament history, and Maradona's own retelling of it, defiant and unrepentant, captures everything that made him irreplaceable and infuriating in equal measure. Find broadcast schedules and match access options in the streaming guide.

NFL 2026: Josh Allen No. 1, Falcons QB Battle, and Coleman Faces Career Crossroads

Allen Overtakes Mahomes

Josh Allen has moved to the top of the NFL quarterback rankings according to a survey of executives, coaches, and scouts conducted ahead of the 2026 season. Patrick Mahomes held that position for the better part of four years, but the consensus has shifted. Allen's combination of arm talent, rushing ability, and late-game production has finally outweighed the ring-count argument that kept Mahomes at the summit. This is not a symbolic reshuffling. When the people who build and gameplan NFL rosters tell you who they fear most, that carries weight that no single statistic can replicate. The 2024 draft class also produced quarterbacks who are beginning to appear in the top-ten conversation, a development that signals how quickly the position is being restocked across the league.

Atlanta Quarterback Situation Is Unresolved

The Atlanta Falcons enter training camp with a genuine starter competition that nobody in the organization wants to call a competition. Tua Tagovailoa is expected to open as QB1 while Michael Penix Jr. recovers from injury, but the question of what happens when Penix is healthy has no clean answer. The Falcons drafted Penix in the first round with the intent of building around him long-term. Tagovailoa arrived on a separate track. When both quarterbacks are available, Atlanta will be forced to make a decision that has no version that avoids organizational awkwardness. That situation is the defining subplot of their camp.

Coleman Needs a Breakout Season

Keon Coleman arrives at Buffalo Bills training camp with two years of NFL experience that have not produced the production the franchise expected when they drafted him. Coleman has the physical profile to be a genuine weapon for Allen, but the on-field results have not matched the projection. This season functions as a direct evaluation of whether Coleman can translate measurable talent into consistent production. For a receiver playing alongside one of the league's top quarterbacks, the opportunity is present. The question is execution.

NBA: Kendrick Perkins Says Wembanyama Left Money on the Table

Victor Wembanyama signed his contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs under the league's standard maximum structure, and Kendrick Perkins believes that was a mistake. Perkins argued publicly that Wembanyama should have pushed for a 10-year, one-billion-dollar deal, a number that sits well outside what current NBA collective bargaining allows but reflects a genuine point about how generational talent is valued relative to the revenue it generates. Wembanyama finished his second season as the most physically unique player in the league, a shot-blocker and scorer who has no true contemporary comparison. Perkins is making a market-value argument, not a contractual one: the player is worth more than the system is built to pay him. That argument will intensify as Wembanyama continues to develop, and it speaks to a broader tension in professional basketball between franchise revenue ceilings and superstar economic leverage.