On June 18, Beijing time, traditional World Cup powerhouses have all played their first matches. The relevant institutions have also updated the latest championship odds for the 48 teams, with France overtaking Spain to become the top favorite. Before the tournament, Spain was the biggest favorite, but after a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde despite 27 shots in their opener, such a performance dropped Spain's odds to second place.

On June 18, ESPN insider Chris Spears revealed during a show that former Cavaliers teammates LeBron James and Kevin Love could once again join forces next season—this time with the Los Angeles Lakers.

On June 18, Beijing time, according to HoopsHype’s veteran reporter Scotto, before the NBA Draft, the Hawks have conducted a thorough evaluation, gauging the trade offers for Kuminga from teams across the league. Conducting this market research at this time is reasonable. Kuminga holds a team option worth $24.3 million for next season, and the Hawks must make a critical decision on him before free agency officially begins.

In a key Group L match of the World Cup that concluded on June 18, Beijing time, England defeated their toughest group opponent, Croatia, 4-2 to secure a smooth opening victory. In this game, the 32-year-old English striker Kane not only scored a brace but also blocked an opponent's shot with his body in stoppage time, making him the top contributor to the team's win.

In a key Group L match of the World Cup that concluded on June 18, Beijing time, Croatia, the previous tournament's third-place finisher, lost 2-4 to England, suffering an opening defeat. In this game, Croatian captain Modrić, playing in his fifth World Cup, performed poorly, giving away a penalty early and being substituted early in the second half. The 40-year-old Modrić started the match, becoming the eighth player to appear in at least five World Cups.

On June 18, Beijing time, Knicks owner James Dolan revealed on a show that the team has accepted an invitation from the White House and will visit as the NBA champions next season. Meanwhile, multiple media outlets have disclosed details of the upcoming championship parade, with the NYPD deploying 10,000 officers for security.

Speaking on June 18 Beijing time, current minority owner of the Mavericks, Mark Cuban, admitted that when the team botched contract negotiations with Jalen Brunson before he entered free agency in 2022, they had no idea he would later explode into an All-Star caliber player. Cuban said on a podcast: "The logic is actually very simple—we didn't expect JB (Brunson) to grow to this height. No one saw it coming at the time.

On June 18, Beijing time, the Boston Celtics are determined to win the race for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but if the deal goes through, one of their core stars will be displeased. ESPN insider Spears revealed on a show: If the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown as part of the package for Giannis, Brown himself is unwilling to go to Milwaukee.

In a World Cup Group K opener that concluded on June 18 Beijing time, heavy favorites Portugal were held to a surprising 1-1 draw by African newcomers DR Congo, failing to secure a winning start. After the match, Portugal's coach Martinez responded to external doubts, stating that a draw in the first game is not a disaster—pointing out that Spain and Argentina also failed to win their opening matches when they eventually became champions.

In one of the World Cup Group K opening matches that ended on June 18 Beijing time, the strong favorite Portugal was unexpectedly held to a 1-1 draw by African newcomers DR Congo, failing to secure a winning start. After the game, 41-year-old Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo posted on social media, expressing disappointment with the result while also rallying the team, saying that everything is still far from over.