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SYDNEY (AP) — Australia and New Zealand will each stage 24 games in the group stage when the countries host the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023. FIFA released further details of the schedule Wednesday after previously announcing that Auckland will stage the opening match on July 20 and the final will be at the Olympic stadium in Sydney on Aug. 20. Australia's biggest city will also feature on the opening Vibram Shoes  day with one of six group games at the newly renovated Sydney Football Stadium. The Olympic stadium is also hosting a round of 16 game, quarterfinal and semifinal before crowning the champion. The 32-team tournament will be divided into eight four-team groups. New Zealand is in Group A and Australia in Group B but the other groups and t...

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer DALLAS (AP) — The latest meeting on expanding the College Football Playoff wrapped up without a resolution Wednesday as the people involved agreed to keep talking. CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock said there remains a strong consensus among the management committee, comprised of the 10 major college football conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director, to expand the four-team playoff field. But how and when? A proposed 12-team model remains at the heart of the discussions and there is still hope it can be implemented for the 2024 season. Skechers Womens Outlet Which conferences would be ensured access to the field is still up for debate. “I thought there was a chance we’d get to the end tod...

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer Notre Dame is working on a deal to promote defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to head coach to replace Brian Kelly, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because nothing had been finalized, though the first piece of Notre Dame's plan to regroup after Kelly left for LSU earlier this week had already fallen into place. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees informed Notre Dame he Hey Dude Women's Shoes would remain with the Fighting Irish instead of joining Kelly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Notre Dame released a video on Twitter of Rees telling the team he was staying put. The next step is elevating the 35-year-old Freeman, w...

By JAKE SEINER, AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Before getting locked out, players loaded up Wednesday as big league teams unlocked their coffers for an unprecedented spending spree. Major League Baseball clubs committed to a one-day record $1.4 billion in salaries Wednesday, hours before the league locked out players following the 11:59 p.m. expiration of the sport's collective bargaining agreement. Six nine-figure contracts were handed out, Skechers Shoes Outlets including two by the Texas Rangers — shortstop Corey Seager got $325 million over 10 years and infielder Marcus Semien will make $175 million over seven years. The Detroit Tigers got infielder Javier Báez for a $140 million, six-year deal, ace Max Scherzer was assured $130 million over thre...

By RONALD BLUM and STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Baseball Writers IRVING, Texas (AP) — Major League Baseball plunged into its first work stoppage in a quarter-century when the sport’s collective bargaining agreement expired Wednesday night and owners immediately locked out players in a move that threatens spring training and opening day. The strategy, management’s equivalent of a strike under federal labor law, ended the sport’s labor peace after 9,740 days over 26 1/2 years. Teams decided to force the long-anticipated confrontation during an offseason rather than risk players walking out during the summer, as they did in 1994. Hoka Sneakers ,Players and owners had successfully reached four consecutive agreements without a work stoppage, but they have been accelerating tow...

By BRETT MARTEL, AP Sports Writer LSU flew newly hired coach Brian Kelly on a private jet to Baton Rouge, where he was greeted Tuesday by fans, dignitaries and the Golden Band from Tigerland after agreeing to a 10-year contract worth $95 million plus incentives. The hiring of Kelly — who has Notre Dame for the past 12 seasons and eclipsed Knute Rockne for career victories with the storied Fighting Irish — Latest Jordan 2020 came together on Monday night in yet another blockbuster coaching move in college football. LSU made it official on Tuesday morning. “Brian Kelly is the epitome of a winner,” LSU athletic director Scott Woodward said. “He has built and sustained success at every program he’s led, from multiple undefeated regular seasons and National C...