Editor's note: until our watch picks model ships, the only betting line we publish is on the marquee game, and we pull it straight from ESPN. Everything else here is about what's on and where to watch it, not who to bet. Full schedule and live tiles are at watch.uristocrat.com.
The World Cup takes over Wednesday. Four group-stage matches run from lunch to late night, headlined by England's opener against Croatia in Arlington. Around it sits a packed MLB card and six WNBA games. Here's what's worth your time.
Marquee: England vs. Croatia, World Cup Group L opener (4:00 PM ET, FOX)
England walk in ranked fourth in the world and favored to win the group. Croatia are the team that ended their run once before, knocking England out of the 2018 World Cup in the semifinals, and this is a core that has gotten older but not gone away. Harry Kane leads the goalscorer market for England, and the bookies expect a tight, low-scoring opener rather than a rout. England have the talent edge. Croatia have the scar tissue to make it uncomfortable. The other two sides in the group, Ghana and Panama, meet later the same day, so by tonight the Group L table takes its first shape.
Vegas line (ESPN): England -0.5 (-135 moneyline), Croatia +425, total 2.5 goals.
Also tonight
- Portugal vs. Congo DR (1:00 PM ET, FOX). The early kickoff from Houston. Portugal open their campaign as one of the tournament favorites, and at this stage of his career every Cristiano Ronaldo appearance is worth watching. Congo DR are the underdog trying to steal a point.
- Ghana vs. Panama (7:00 PM ET, FS1). The other half of England and Croatia's group, from Toronto. Both sides know that with the two European heavyweights in the bracket, the math for advancing likely runs through this result. A loser here is in early trouble.
- Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees (7:05 PM ET). The Yankees host in the Bronx on Prime Video. A get-right spot on paper against the rebuilding White Sox, and a clean primetime window if you want baseball with your soccer.
- Cleveland Guardians at Milwaukee Brewers (7:40 PM ET). ESPN's national MLB game, two clubs that live on pitching and defense. This is the one to put on if you want a tight, well-played nine innings.
- New York Liberty at Chicago Sky (8:00 PM ET). The Liberty on the road on USA and FOX, a national WNBA window. New York remain one of the league's best, and the Sky get a measuring-stick night at home.
- Las Vegas Aces at Phoenix Mercury (10:00 PM ET). A late doubleheader cap on USA and NBC. Two contenders, a desert rivalry, and the last live thing on the board once the soccer and baseball wrap.
The thread Wednesday is timing. Soccer owns the afternoon, baseball fills the early evening, and the WNBA closes it out on the West Coast. If you only pick one, make it England and Croatia at four. The rest is there when you want it.
Comments