National Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, and didn't rule out that he himself might oversee the event.

NEW YORK — Canada’s Rebecca Marino will play in the U.S. Open main draw after beating Czechia’s Dominika Salkova 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the third and final round of qualifying Friday.

Hopes are high as Canada opens play Saturday against Fiji at the Rugby World Cup in England. And nowhere higher than in the Canadian camp. The sky's the limit for the second-ranked Canadian women, according to veteran flanker Karen Paquin.

TORONTO — Canadian rider Derek Gee, who finished fourth in the Giro d'Italia earlier this year, and the Israel-Premier Tech team find themselves tangled in a contract dispute.

TORONTO — Cameron Judge and the Toronto Argonauts' defence figure to be busy Saturday afternoon. Toronto (2-8) hosts B.C. (5-5) at BMO Field. The Lions' offence led by quarterback Nathan Rourke presents no shortage of challenges for a defence.

Rugby Canada chief executive officer Nathan Bombrys calls Kevin Rouet "the Jack Reacher of rugby coaches," a reference to the itinerant character created by author Lee Child. The fictional Reacher, a muscular former major in the U.S.

BRUSSELS — Canada’s Sarah Mitton claimed women’s shot put silver at the Diamond League meet in Brussels on Friday. The 29-year-old from Brooklyn, N.S., climbed to the second step of the podium with a throw of 19.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps needed bodies after season-ending injuries left the club without two of its defensive stalwarts. CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster got to work, signing four new players in less than a month.

The stakes are high Saturday when unbeaten Canadian (Prince) Lucas Bahdi faces former world champion Roger (The Kid) Gutierrez in a 12-round WBA lightweight title elimination bout in Orlando, Fla.

EDMONTON — It's been seven years since Edmontonians last lined the city's downtown streets to celebrate with a Pride parade, and organizers say it's back. LGBTQ+ community members and allies are set to turn out for the Saturday afternoon parade.