At the opening ceremony in the Estadio Azteca, before a single player stepped onto the field, the world saw Labubu—two giant, pointy-eared dolls from Pop Mart, the Chinese toy brand—standing in the heart of Mexico's soccer sanctuary. Hundreds of millions of global viewers saw a Chinese symbol before they saw any team. It was a moment many call the "victory without kicking a ball" for the Chinese.

Manchester United has secured the signing of Liverpool academy striker Vincent Joseph, agreeing to a trainee contract with the club. Last season, the 16-year-old English forward made two appearances for Liverpool's under-16 team, scoring three goals. Joseph, who can play as a striker, number 10, or winger, has been hailed as "Anfield's Musiala."

In the second round of Group A at the World Cup, which concluded on June 19 Beijing time, South Korea fell 0-1 to host Mexico, marking their third straight defeat to the same opponent in World Cup history. In the opening match, South Korea came from behind to beat Czech Republic 2-1, securing a strong start. A win in this fixture would have guaranteed early qualification, but they faced their "nemesis" Mexico. Previously, Mexico had defeated South Korea in the group stage twice, in 1986 and 2018.

After the Knicks won the championship, as cheers echoed through the arena, an emotional Bridges spoke to reporters with red-rimmed eyes, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face—five years of emotions condensed into that single moment. Because he had once been so close yet fell short, the intensity of that moment hit him so hard. Among the entire Knicks roster, Bridges was the only one who had tasted defeat in the NBA Finals.

On June 19, Beijing time, the second round of Group B in the World Cup concluded. After both matches in the first round ended in 1-1 draws, the second round finally produced winners, and by large margins. Switzerland crushed fellow European side Bosnia 4-1, while host Canada routed Asian Cup champions Qatar 6-0.

According to local New York media reports on June 19 Beijing time, a total of 2 million people participated in the Knicks' championship celebration. Police stated that while at least 13 individuals were detained, no major violent incidents occurred. The New York Fire Department informed TV stations that 30 people who felt unwell were taken to hospitals. This parade was a grand celebration for the Kings of New York—the New York Knicks.

Luke Shaw started all 38 Premier League matches for Manchester United last season, the only player in the squad to do so. However, both the club and fans are aware this was due to the team competing only in the Premier League, with no European or cup distractions, allowing breaks of up to two or three weeks at times. If United return to European competition next season, it would be a miracle for the soon-to-be 31-year-old left-back to replicate that level of consistency.

On June 19 Beijing time, the second round of the World Cup group stage is set to begin. In a key match that has already concluded, the Czech Republic and South Africa were both chasing their first win. The Czechs lacked ambition, suffered a physical collapse in the second half, and were held to a draw by South Africa yet again. As a result, South Africa and the Czech Republic settled for a 1-1 stalemate, leaving both teams with one draw and one loss after two rounds. This outcome has dramatically changed the qualification landscape in Group A, giving Mexico and South Korea a promising chance to advance early.

On June 19, Beijing time, The Athletic reported that this summer, Jalen Duren will become a restricted free agent, while Ausar Thompson is eligible for a contract extension that would take effect in the 2027-28 season. The future contract costs for both players will be extremely high. Along with Cade Cunningham, they form the core of the Detroit Pistons, a team that won 60 games in the regular season and finished first in the Eastern Conference.

On June 19 Beijing time, a humorous incident occurred during the Knicks' championship parade. Although Taylor Kolek is very popular among die-hard Knicks fans, this episode from the parade shows he is not yet a widely recognized player by the general public.