U.S.-Mexico joint bid for 2031 Women’s World Cup gets a clearer path

ZURICH >> The expected bid by the United States and Mexico to co-host the 2031 Women’s World Cup can face only a rival bid from Africa, with FIFA on Wednesday excluding Europe from the contest.

FIFA also invited bids for the 2035 tournament only from Europe or Africa, and the four British federations — England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales — said they would enter the contest.

FIFA said it expected to pick hosts for both tournaments at its annual congress next year, likely to be held on the eve of the men’s 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

USWNT’ Sophia Wilson announces she is pregnant

PORTLAND, Ore.>> Portland Thorns and U.S. team forward Sophia Wilson has announced she is pregnant.

Wilson, who previously went by her maiden name Smith, posted a photo of herself on Instagram on Wednesday holding a strip of sonogram photos while being embraced by her husband, Michael Wilson, a wide receiver for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.

“Life just keeps getting sweeter,” her caption said.

Wilson, 24, was on the national team that won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer. Fans dubbed the front line of Wilson, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson “Triple Espresso.”

Source: Jai Lucas, Miami finalize agreement to make him Hurricanes’ coach

Jai Lucas and Miami have finalized the contract that makes him the school’s new men’s basketball coach, nearly two weeks after they struck preliminary agreement on a deal, a person with knowledge of the talks said Wednesday.

Lucas is expected to begin a five-year contract. He will be with Duke for its regular-season finale against North Carolina on Saturday, then fly to Coral Gables on Sunday and begin the new job officially on Monday.

Lucas has been at Duke for three seasons and currently is the Blue Devils’ associate head coach.

NASCAR penalizes Cindric for hooking Dillon at COTA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> NASCAR penalized Austin Cindric 50 points and fined him $50,000 on Wednesday for intentionally spinning Ty Dillon in last weekend’s Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas.

Dillon moved Cindric up the track early in the race and Cindric quickly retaliated by hooking Dillon in the right rear, spinning Dillon’s car.

NASCAR has made clear they will not tolerate drivers hooking competitors in the right rear to spin them because of the potential hazards.

The penalty drops Cindric of Team Penske from 11th to 35th in the standings heading into this weekend’s race at Phoenix Raceway.

Briscoe, JGR win appeal over spoiler during Daytona 500 pole-winning run

CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing won their appeal Wednesday when the National Motorsports Appeals Panel said his Toyota did not have an illegally modified spoiler when he won the Daytona 500 pole.

The victory restores the 100 points and 10 playoff points NASCAR had penalized Briscoe for the spoiler violation. The team also gets its 100 points and 10 playoff points back, and crew chief James Small’s four-race suspension was rescinded, as was the $100,000 fine to the team.

Briscoe is now tied for 14th in the season standings with Carson Hocevar.