Planets align to give us World Cup semi-final pairings for the ages

For some, it might seem like the 2026 World Cup began, oh, three years ago. For the diehards the realisation that there are only four games left - and one of them is a third place play-off, so it doesn’t count - is harrowing. But Lordie, do we have two semi-finals that would leave you drooling? Yes we do. Starting with this evening’s meeting of France and Spain in Texas.

It will, writes Keith Duggan, be a clash of “these nobles of European football”, and another chance for Spain’s “gift from the planets”, Lamine Yamal, to show that he is an heir to Messi and Maradona.

In Gaelic games, Seán Moran looks at the every-increasing pressure on the GAA to go down a VAR-like route after yet more “obvious and consequential mistakes”, Stephen Rochford giving his view on the three key decisions that went against Dublin on Sunday - and he analyses Mayo’s chances of causing “the biggest upset in an All-Ireland final since Offaly triumphed in 1982”.

Following swiftly on the heels of Dublin’s defeat came the announcement of the retirement of eight-time All-Ireland winner Ciarán Kilkenny. Malachy Clerkin looks back on the career of a man who was “at the heart” of the one of the greatest teams of all time.

Limerick v Galway: TV details, throw-in time, team news for All-Ireland hurling final

The Open 2026: Tee times, TV details, weather forecast, players to watch

World Cup 2026 schedule: Your complete guide to the fixtures and results

Question of the day

Only three players in the history of Gaelic games won more All-Ireland football medals than Ciarán Kilkenny - he won eight, his three former team-mates won nine. Name them.

And there’s more...

Among the ‘Five things we learned from the GAA weekend’, our crew pick out how a very new Mayo team has developed since their Connacht semi-final defeat to Roscommon back in April, Jack O’Connor’s hype-deflecting skills and Wicklow’s “petit slam”.

And in the build-up to Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final, Gordon Manning talks to Liam Cronin, one of Limerick manager John Kiely’s backroom team, who salutes the players’ determination to bounce back from last year’s quarter-final defeat.

In rugby, Gerry Thornley previews Ireland’s Nations Championship meeting with New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday, “a daunting challenge” that Andy Farrell is “embracing”. As is his backs coach Andrew Goodman, who returns to his native New Zealand, Sean Jansen back in the land of his birth too. Gerry talks to the Connacht man, who had such an impressive debut against Japan last weekend, and he gets the thoughts of New Zealand coach Dave Rennie ahead of the game.

Owen Doyle, meanwhile, gives his verdict on the refereeing in the Nations Championship thus far and it would be fair to say that he has issues with “coaches and teams working on finessing and perfecting their illicit lineout driving mauls” - he’d quite like World Rugby to do something about it.

And John O’Sullivan reports on Ireland’s under-20 side’s “misshapen, error strewn display” against Fiji at the World Junior Championship, one they just about survived with a 24-19 victory.

We’re just a couple of sleeps away from the start of golf’s final major of the year, the British Open at Royal Birkdale, Philip Reid hearing from Jordan Spieth almost a decade on from his triumph on the same course. And Gavin Cooney was on hand when Tommy Fleetwood, “Southport’s most famous golfing son”, talked about his chances of breaking his Major duck.

And in racing, Brian O’Connor previews what could be another stellar week for Ireland’s champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle - up first is this evening’s crack at the Cygames Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, and on Saturday he takes on the Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

TV Watch

Sky Sports Golf continues its (very lengthy) build-up to this week’s British Open with just the seven hours of practice from Birkdale today (from 9am). At noon, TG4 and TNT Sports bring you stage 10 of the Tour de France, and come 8pm, we have a delectable World Cup semi-final: France v Spain (RTÉ 2 and UTV).

Answer to question: Stephen Cluxton, James McCarthy and Michael Fitzsimons.