Major League Soccer is down to three finalists to succeed commissioner Don Garber, multiple outlets reported Friday.

The candidates are Los Angeles FC co-owner Larry Berg, 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe and David Nathanson, a former Fox executive, the outlets said, citing multiple sources.

“Major League Soccer’s Board of Governors has been engaged in a comprehensive succession planning process,” a representative for MLS said in a statement to Sportico. “As part of that effort, a number of highly qualified individuals have been considered. The MLS succession committee is working with the commissioner and the Board on this ongoing process.”

Garber, 68, is nearing the end of his third decade as commissioner, holding the job since August 1999. Only NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has served longer among the major U.S. leagues, assuming office in February 1993.

Garber is under contract through the end of the 2027 season, but the shift in the league calendar to follow the international calendar could alter the expiration date.

In 2025, the league formed a succession committee, led by LAFC co-owner Bennett Rosenthal and Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam, to determine a plan to succeed Garber. Consultant Korn Ferry was brought in to lead the search for candidates.

Each of the three reported finalists would bring a different skillset to the job.

Berg has held his ownership stake in LAFC since 2018, giving him inside knowledge of the MLS operations. He comes from the world of finance, holding an MBA from Harvard Business School and 30 years of experience at Apollo Global Management.

Marathe is the chairman of Leeds United of the English Premier League, and the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers owns that club. He has been with the 49ers organization for 25 years and formerly served as president of the NFL team.

Nathanson’s experience in media would be beneficial with in negotiating the next round of television and streaming rights. At Fox, he led the effort as the network gained the rights to the 2018, 2022 and 2026 World Cup. He is a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders and a director of the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

The commissioner-elect is expected to work with Garber, who has overseen the expansion of MLS from 12 to 30 teams, during the transition.

–Field Level Media

It’s not where either team wanted to be, but France and England will play in the World Cup third-place game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Over the course of World Cup history, the third-place match has unique dynamics that bettors can leverage to their advantage.

Let’s take a look at our three best bets for the encounter.

First-half Total

One unique aspect of this fixture is that enthusiasm and urgency often peak earlier in the encounter.

And that opens up arguably the best wagering opportunity here on a high first-half total.

Since the tournament expanded for the first time in 1982, the first-half total has gone over 2.5 goals on six of 11 occasions, and it has landed exactly on two goals twice.

The wager here is then on an Asian first-half total over 2.0 goals at +270 odds and an implied 27% probability. The bet is void if the total lands exactly on two.

Asian Total: Over 2.0 goals (+270, Parx)

Goal Bands

Goals generally come a lot more freely in the third-place encounter, and the betting line on the total has adjusted as such, with wagers on the teams combining for four or more at almost even money.

As can happen in international football, that creates a wagering opportunity not on one side of the distribution curve, but in the middle.

Since the first World Cup expansion in 1982, goals have flowed freely in this encounter, but not that freely. The total has never gone above five in 90 minutes. (France required extra time to defeat Belgium 4-2 in 1986).

Given that trend, the best 90-minute totals wager is a 3-5 goal band bet. With -130 odds and an implied 56.5% probability, it has cashed on nine of those 11 occasions since 182.

Goal bands: 3-5 total goals (-130, BetMGM)

Money Line

The money line draw rarely carries value in the third-place match, which has finished level after 90 minutes only once.

And when you’re trying to decide who to back in a situation like this, motivation matters as much as talent.

The French have the edge in both. Les Bleus will arguably be the side with more to prove after a 2-0 semifinal loss to Spain. Kylian Mbappe called his team’s performance unworthy of a World Cup semifinal. And while French manager Didier Deschamps is imperfect, he is also deeply beloved by most of his players. It’s his last match at the helm, and Les Bleus should be motivated to try and give him a proper sendoff.

Meanwhile, the English will likely feel more rattled by the nature of their defeat to Argentina, letting a late lead slip from their grasp. There are signs of friction between German manager Thomas Tuchel and some of their stars. And if this becomes a battle of reserves versus reserves — as third-place games often are — then France’s talent advantage becomes even greater.

So while it might seem high at first, the -107 odds on the French money line may actually represent a bargain.

Money Line: France (-107, BetRivers)

Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero was in his customary No. 3 spot in the batting order for Game 1 of the Rays’ day-night doubleheader with the visiting Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Caminero, who was drilled in the left pinky by the St. Louis Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien in the third inning of the All-Star Game on Tuesday, lined out to center and singled to left in his first two plate appearances Friday. That single was the Rays’ only hit through the first five innings.

Caminero left the All-Star Game immediately and underwent X-rays that proved negative. He carried a .279 average along with 28 home runs and 59 RBIs into the doubleheader.

The 23-year-old shares fourth place with Washington outfielder James Wood for most home runs in MLB. Caminero banged 13 homers in his final 19 games before the All-Star break.

The news was less bright for two Rays veterans trying to make their way back from injuries. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said outfielder Jake Fraley and second baseman Gavin Lux returned to St. Petersburg, Fla., with injuries that forced them to pause their rehab assignments at Triple-A Durham.

The 31-year-old Fraley, who hasn’t played for the Rays since May 15, has been dealing with hernia and groin issues. Lux, acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, has been on the injured list since before the season started and has yet to make his Rays debut. Cash indicated Lux, 28, needed a pain-killing injection in his right shoulder.

–Field Level Media