Sports News Roundup: Soccer-US and Mexico to submit bid to co-host 2027 Women's World Cup; Golf-Woods undergoes ankle fusion surgery and more

Canada refused to accept "visa facilitation letters" FIFA and Canadian Senator Marilou McPhedran handed out based on a template provided by a Canadian Department of National Defence employee in attempts to evacuate 640 women athletes, their coaches and others, according to court documents. Soccer-Man City ease into Champions League semis with 1-1 draw at Bayern Manchester City cruised into the Champions League semi-finals after a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday secured a 4-1 aggregate win that moved them a step closer to an elusive first title in the competition.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-US and Mexico to submit bid to co-host 2027 Women's World Cup

The United States and Mexico have informed FIFA they will submit a bid to co-host the 2027 Women's World Cup, the countries' federations said on Wednesday. US Soccer (USSF) and Mexico's football federation (FMF) have until May 19 to formally submit their 'Bidding Agreement'.

Golf-Woods undergoes ankle fusion surgery

Fifteen-times major champion Tiger Woods has undergone fusion surgery on a bone in his ankle, he said on Wednesday, 10 days after he withdrew from the Masters due to injury. The operation was performed to address his post-traumatic arthritis from a previous talus bone fracture, Woods said in a statement posted on Twitter.

MLB roundup: Padres' shutout ends Braves' win streak

Juan Soto smacked a 431-foot homer and starter Nick Martinez and three relievers combined to throw a four-hit shutout to lift the San Diego Padres to a 1-0 victory over the visiting Braves on Wednesday, snapping Atlanta's eight-game winning streak. Soto, who entered the game hitting only .175, led off the fourth by lining a 1-1 sinker from Braves starter Charlie Morton (2-2) into the seats in right center to provide the game's only run.

Soccer-Eight healthcare workers face trial over Maradona's death - reports

Eight healthcare workers will go on trial over the death of Diego Maradona after being charged with "homicide by negligence", Argentine media reported on Wednesday. The footballing great, who led Argentina to a second World Cup title in 1986, died aged 60 in November 2020 from heart failure after undergoing brain surgery days earlier.

Golf-Not the same major splash as Chevron moves to Texas

When women's golf crowns its first major winner of the season on Sunday at the Chevron Championship it will not make the same splash it once did. The sight of winners celebrating with a joyful leap into Poppies Pond off the 18th green was one of women golf's most recognisable traditions but a move from its longtime home of Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs to The Club at Carlton Woods near Houston has effectively ended the ritual.

Motor racing-Schumacher family planning legal action over AI 'interview'

Michael Schumacher's family are planning legal action against a German weekly magazine over an 'interview' with the seven times Formula One champion that was generated by artificial intelligence. A spokesperson for the Schumacher family, asked by Reuters for a comment on Wednesday, pointed to published reports of legal action.

Soccer-City 'exhausted' ahead of FA Cup semi-final, says Guardiola

Manchester City players are exhausted ahead of their FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United at Wembley this weekend, manager Pep Guardiola said, after his side knocked Bayern Munich out of the Champions League on Wednesday. City's 1-1 draw with Bayern in their quarter-final second leg secured a 4-1 win on aggregate that assured them a semi-final spot in Europe's elite club competition for a third successive season.

FIFA concerned about Canada's refusal to honor Afghan visa letters -court filings

Officials with soccer's international governing body FIFA criticized Canada's decision not to recognize documents FIFA and a Canadian senator had given to female athletes and others who were scrambling to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban took over in 2021. Canada refused to accept "visa facilitation letters" FIFA and Canadian Senator Marilou McPhedran handed out based on a template provided by a Canadian Department of National Defence employee in attempts to evacuate 640 women athletes, their coaches and others, according to court documents.

Soccer-Man City ease into Champions League semis with 1-1 draw at Bayern

Manchester City cruised into the Champions League semi-finals after a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday secured a 4-1 aggregate win that moved them a step closer to an elusive first title in the competition. City forward Erling Haaland, who had missed a first-half penalty, made amends in the 57th minute, drilling in his 48th goal in all competitions this season to kill off the tie before Bayern levelled with a Joshua Kimmich penalty in the 83rd.

Tennis-Bencic to skip Madrid, Rome events due to hip issue

Olympic champion Belinda Bencic will skip upcoming claycourt tournaments in Madrid and Rome due to "discomfort" in her hip but said she hopes to be fully fit for the French Open. Bencic said she was hampered by the issue during the WTA Tour's U.S. swing, which included her run to the Charleston Open final where she lost to Ons Jabeur in straight sets.