hello. i'm tim hague, and this is sport today, live from the bbc sport centre. coming up on this programme: we're less than 2a hours away from the start of this year's world cup, but in 8 year's time, it'll be a united tournament, with canada, mexico, and the us confirmed as co—hosts for 2026. spain are in a "real" mess after a club versus country row. they've sacked their head coach just two days before their opening world cup match against the european champions. and we take a closer look at the host nation. russia are the lowest—ranked team in the tournament. but how far can they go on home soil? hello, and thanks for joining us on sport today. it's been quite a day in russia on the eve of the 21st world cup finals. we are also talking about the 23rd finals, because fifa members have voted for the united states, mexico, and canada to host the world cup in 2026. they beat off the bid from morocco and it will be the third time world cup finals matches will be in mexico, a first for canada, and a second chance for the us, where most games will be played. here's our sports news correspondent, richard conway. the member associations of canada,

mexico, and the usa have been selected... united in victory. mexico, united states, and canada, are now prepared to host the 2026 world cup, which they say will turbocharge football in north america and bring huge revenue for the growth of the game worldwide. very emotional. it has been a long and hard campaign. congratulations to morocco, putting it to us and the very end. we are thankful to fifa. it was an impressive job in a short time. delighted. the north american beard known as united 2026 will host 48 teams, playing a games across all three countries. they are promising

a riot of passion and colour. the north american beard has prevailed, and fifa has listened to the promise of $11 million in profit. —— bid. the result will also delight the leadership of fifa. donald trump, urging fifa voters, perhaps threatening, to back the bid, issued congratulations. vladimir putin made a quick appearance to thank fifa for support in the run—up to bear tournament. thank you. the world cup remains a glittering prize for many nations. russia will take its turn starting tomorrow. the us, canada, and mexico, now have eight years to prepare for there is. richard conway, bbc news. —— theirs. it will bea conway, bbc news. —— theirs. it will be a great tournament. back to this world cup, and spain have astonishingly sacked their head coach julen lopetegui 24 hours after it was confirmed that

he'll be taking over at real madrid next season. the spanish federation said that appointment was all done without their knowledge and called a press conference on wednesday announcing that lopetegui had been fired. the president of the federation, luis rubiales, said he was compelled to make the decision but did praise the outgoing manager. translation: i do not feel betrayed. during his time, he has done an impeccablejob. during his time, he has done an impeccable job. this is during his time, he has done an impeccablejob. this is about during his time, he has done an impeccable job. this is about the way things have been done. i do not mean by him, but by the people who have done things without communicating with the spanish federation. that is something we cannot let pass. we were forced to sack him. i have always said the best person to guide the national tea m best person to guide the national team is the. what i can guarantee is the staff under fernando will do

everything possible to guide the tea m everything possible to guide the team as far as possible. it is a difficult situation, and it is very complicated. so, that is spain. by this time tomorrow, we will know the result of the opening match between the host nation, russia, and saudi arabia. they're the two lowest—ranked sides in this tournament, according to the fifa rankings. the saudis last won a world cup finals match in 1994 when they reached the knockout stage. could they shock the hosts and pull of a famous win? here's austin halewood. after 12 years away from world football's showpiece event, all of saudi arabia is ready to see their tea m saudi arabia is ready to see their team back in the big time. and they say they could not be more prepared. we have done everything right. we have played against top teams in the fifa ranking, germany, belgium, italy, portugal. we have played at

their stadiums in front of their fans. what they lost all of those friendlies. rank 67 in the world, saudi arabia is not expected to cause any big shakeup. but victory on russian soil on the opening day would be a shock. they have been known to cause issues before. be reached the last 16 in 1994. we will fight and play and enjoy, supported by the home nation in saudi arabia. everyone will turn on the tv. they may be lower ranks, but confidence is growing. the falcons believe they can cause an upset in moscow. after all, the pressure is always on the host. bbc news. it certainly is on

the host. away from football, the second golf major of the season, the us open, gets underway later on thursday. shinnecock hills in new york is hosting the event fot the first time since 2004 and the fifth time in total. tiger woods is returning to the tournament for the first time since 2015, while the favourite for the title is the world number one and 2016 champion dustinjohnson. butjustin rose and rory mcilroy are among the other former champions who could replacejohnson as world number one if things go their way this week. is exciting to be back at the us 0pen. it doesn't feel like five is ago since we lifted the trophy. —— yea rs. ago since we lifted the trophy. —— years. in 2012 they changed it up

here and the course was better widthwise, changing my impression from not a fun experience to wow, 110w from not a fun experience to wow, now i see why it is top—rated in the world. i got myself into contention a few times. we are off to do that again this week. it feels like a long time since i have been in the mix in the championship. with how my game feels, hopefully i can do the right thing in the next few days and put myself in a position to win another one. you would not put your money against justin rose or rory mcilroy. now, thursday will see one of the most eagerly awaited days in afghan cricket as they make their test debut against india in a historic one—off test in bangalore. the afghans gained one day international status in 2009, have qualified for their second 50—over world cup in england and wales next year, and have also been part of four twenty20 world cups. now they're taking on india in the sports longest and most traditional format. that's an amazing journey for

afghanistan, getting test status in less tha n afghanistan, getting test status in less than 15 years. they have gone up less than 15 years. they have gone up against the top team in the world. it is amazing, and it is really histories. —— history. and 110w really histories. —— history. and now for some cricket news. and england beat australia in the opening 0ne—day international of their five—match series at the 0val. australia batted after winning the toss but were bowled out for 214 in 47 overs, with three wickets each for moeen ali and liam plunkett. england reached their target with three wickets and 6 overs to spare thanks to half—centuries from joe root and eoin morgan both made half centuries. the next match is on saturday in cardiff. it is important to get the win early on in the series and the show that when it is not our day, we can get over the line. it is tough playing

against australia, normally a tough side. that was the case today. tennis now and the comeback announced by former wimbledon champion marion bartolli at the end of last year is not to be after all. in december, the 33—year—old revealed plans to return to the tour after retiring nearly five years ago. however, in a post on social media she said that her comeback will not happen and now has plans to become a coach. roger federer made a winning return to tennis on wednesday after missing the whole of the clay court season. the world number two came from a set down to beat germany's mischa zverev in the 2nd round of the stuttgart cup. federer, who had a bye in the first round, won 3—6, 6—4, 6—2. you can never, never, you can never, never, never you can never, never, never bet against the swiss on grass. you can bet rafael nadal will not be on the

queen's court. he pulled out due to injury. not long until the world cup begins. that is it for now. hello once again. i know it's the second week injune, but i have to start this particular show by reminding you we've got a named storm on our hands, and there's an amber warning from the met office for gusts of wind on thursday morning which could, in extremis, get up to around 60mph if not 70 mph. where's all that coming from? this great lump of cloud hurtling towards us and deepening all the while and as it does so, quite a vigorous area of low pressure for the time of year. it's got into the wrong place in the atmosphere and it's been deepening all the while in recent hours. such that as we get on through the day, we will find a real squeeze in those isobars initially working its way through northern ireland, but then on through exposed parts of scotland and through the north of england as well. but, with all the cloud and the wind around, it won't be a cold start to the new day on thursday, but it will certainly be a wet one

for some and certainly a very windy one as well. i'll show you now the strength of the gusts, and there you are, in the central belt of scotland, some of those gusts could be up at around 60mph, as i say, if not 70 mph. gales and severe gales quite widely across northern britain. travel disruption is distinctly possible, bbc local radio will be all over that, i assure you. even further south, it will be a noticeably windy day after a fairly quiet spell of weather. even here, as the weather front tumbles its way ever further to the south and east, we'll find a little bit of rain. there's no doubt about it the bulk of rain will be found in scotland but i think rain becomes less and less of a problem and slowly, slowly, oh so slowly, especially in the northern half

of britain, does the strength of the wind. with the sun coming out in the afternoon for many of us, we'll push the temperatures into the low 20s at the very best. friday thankfully a quieter day across the british isles, but notice the prospect of rain in the northern ireland and the possibility of downpours in dumfries and galloway, ayrshire and the western end of the central belt. what news of the weekend? none too promising to start with. look at this, another little bit of area of low pressure bringing cloud, wind and rain towards particularly initially the western side of the british isles, maybe spreading north and east through time as we get on through saturday. perhaps the best of the sunshine up into the north—eastern corner of scotland.

not a complete write—off, i assure you, because sunday looks a drier and finer day as we finish off the weekend. take care. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is duncan golestani. our top stories: saudi—led forces attack the main rebel—held port in yemen, threatening vital aid supplies for millions. the american secretary of state is in seoul, saying there's a lot of work left to do on the deal with north korea. pledges to rival camps and a walk—out by scottish nationalist mps, theresa may has another tough brexit day. welcome to russia. president putin welcomes the footballing world to russia just hours before the first match kicks off in the world cup.