Sports takes on a global feel this weekend.
The biggest women’s soccer tournament in the world concludes Sunday in France as the FIFA Women’s World Cup crowns a champion.
North and South America will both wrap up their continental men’s soccer tournaments as well. The United States will face Mexico in the Gold Cup final. And south of the equator, Brazil will battle Peru for the Copa America championship.
Other major international sports competitions will play out across the Atlantic. In England, Wimbledon will reach its midway point, and the Cricket World Cup will set its final four. Meanwhile in Belgium, the Tour de France will get underway.
Back in the US, Major League Baseball will play its final series before the All-Star Game.
Here’s your guide to the weekend’s biggest sports events:
Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup concludes the group stage of the tournament this weekend in England with a pair of matches that feature the top two teams in the standings. The tournament’s four semi-finalists may already be determined, but there is still some room for maneuvering.
Australia and India have clinched the top two spots in the tournament’s semi-finals based on their success in the group stage, though their finishing order will not be clear until after this weekend’s games. England and New Zealand round out the four semi-finalists.
On Saturday, cricket powerhouse India will meet Sri Lanka in Leeds. Then on Sunday, tournament leader Australia will face South Africa in Manchester. Second-place India could move ahead of first-place Australia for the top spot with a win coupled with a loss from Australia. The first-place finisher will avoid playing host country England in the semi-finals next week.
Watch it:
Saturday: Sri Lanka v India 5:30 a.m. ET on Willow
Sunday: Australia vs South Africa 8:30 a.m. ET on Willow
International viewers, check your local listings
Tour de France
The 106th edition of the Tour de France, the world’s most famous bicycle race, will begin Saturday in neighboring Belgium.
The first two stages of the 21-stage race will be contested on Saturday and Sunday in and around the capital city of Brussels.
Defending champion Geraint Thomas of Wales will don the jersey of Team Ineos in 2019 after his team’s previous sponsor, British media company Sky UK, discontinued sponsorship of the team after eight TDFs. The group formerly known as Team Sky has produced five of the last six Tour de France winners.
With many top contenders out of the TDF nursing injuries, 33-year-old Thomas’s biggest obstacle to claiming back-to-back titles may come from Ineos teammate Egan Bernal, a 22-year-old Colombian with huge potential.
Watch it:
Saturday: 6:30 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network
International viewers, check your local listings
Wimbledon
Saturday at Wimbledon will feature a full slate of third-round singles action.
Australian top seed and French Open champion Ashleigh Barty will face London’s own Harriet Dart. Barty’s journey to the top has been incredible. In 2014, she walked away from tennis and began a career in cricket. In 2016, when she returned to tennis, Barty was ranked 623rd in the world.
Four American women play Saturday, headlined by 23-time grand slam winner Serena Williams, who will face Germany’s Julia Goerges. Sloane Stephens, Alison Riske and Lauren Davis will play third-round matches on Saturday.
On the men’s side, a pair of tennis legends will compete on Saturday. Twenty-time grand slam winner Roger Federer will play Lucas Pouille, and 16-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Three American men also will play Saturday. Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson and the aptly named Tennys (sounds like tennis) Sandgren will be on the court looking for a spot in the final 16.
American teen sensation Cori “Coco” Gauff’s Wimbledon’s singles future will be decided Friday afternoon, but Gauff still will be on the court over the weekend. She will join mixed doubles partner Jay Clarke for their first-round match on Saturday. Clarke made headlines this week by dropping his previous doubles partner Harriet Dart via text message to pair with Gauff.
Thanks to beautiful summer weather around London, Wimbledon will keep with tradition and take the “Middle Sunday” off before the tournament resumes Monday.
Watch it:
Saturday: Third Round action 8 a.m. ET on ESPN
International viewers, check your local listings
FIFA Women’s World Cup
The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup culminates this weekend in France with the third-place game between England and Sweden on Saturday in Nice and the final between the United States and the Netherlands in Lyon on Sunday.
The United States and the Netherlands have won every match en route to the championship. But the US has waded through much more controversy along the way. The team has been widely rebuked for its exuberant goal celebrations, and President Donald Trump has been openly critical of team co-captain Megan Rapinoe.
But before Sunday’s main event, England and Sweden will vie for third place. Both teams will enter the game still licking their wounds after each suffered heartbreaking semi-final losses earlier in the week.
Watch it:
Saturday: England vs. Sweden at 11 a.m. ET on FOX
Sunday: United States vs Netherlands at 11 a.m. ET on FOX
International viewers, check your local listings
Copa America
In the world’s oldest international soccer tournament, Peru will battle Brazil on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro to determine the best soccer nation in South America. Brazil defeated Peru 5-0 earlier in the tournament in group play.
Global powerhouse Brazil has won this tournament eight times, most recently in 2007. By contrast, Peru has won the Copa America twice, with the last coming 44 years ago in 1975.
In a rematch of the past two Copa America finals, Argentina will play against Chile on Saturday in the third-place game. Chile defeated Argentina in both of those match-ups, but Argentina boasts five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi and will be looking for some measure of payback.
Watch it:
Saturday: Argentina vs. Chile at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Telemundo
Sunday: Brazil vs. Peru at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Telemundo
International viewers, check your local listings
MLB season reaches the All-Star Break
The Major League Baseball season reaches its unofficial midway point as teams break for the All-Star Game after their weekend series. Here’s a look at a few of the top storylines of the season so far.
The Los Angeles Dodgers boast the best record in baseball with a staggering 60 wins. The Dodgers are led by Cody Bellinger, an All-Star and true triple crown contender. Belinger ranks second in the National League in home runs, batting average and RBIs. Bellinger’s Dodgers will host the San Diego Padres in their final series before the All-Star break.
The New York Yankees hold the best record in the American League. The hard-hitting Yankees have scored more runs than any other team so far in the 2019 season. The Bronx Bombers are sending four players to the All-Star Game, but first they’ll play a weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers leads all of baseball with 31 home runs. That’s the most home runs a player has had before the All-Star break since 2013. Yelich will start for the National League in the All-Star Game, and you can also see him in the annual Home Run Derby on Monday night. But before that, you can watch Yelich and the Brewers play this weekend in Pittsburgh against the Pirates.
While the MLB season has given baseball fans plenty to cheer about, there have also been some disappointments. The MLB offseason saw three of the largest contracts in MLB history signed by Los Angeles Angel Mike Trout, Philadelphia Phillie Bryce Harper, and San Diego Padre Manny Machado. Each signed a contract of $300 million or more, but only Trout is having an All-Star season.
Trout and the Angels, with hearts still heavy following the sudden death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, will play a weekend series against the AL West-leading Houston Astros.
Watch it: Check your local listings or stream on MLB.tv.
Gold Cup Final: United States vs. Mexico
On Sunday night in Chicago, the United States and Mexico will clash for the title of greatest soccer team in North America. Both teams have gone undefeated thus far in the tournament, but something will have to give on Sunday.
This will be the sixth time in 15 CONCACAF Gold Cups that the United States will face Mexico for the championship. Mexico has been victorious in four encounters.
Either the United States or Mexico have won 13 of the 14 Gold Cups contested since the tournament’s birth in 1991. Mexico holds the edge there as well, with seven Gold Cups to six for the US.
Watch it: Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
International viewers, check your local listings
