/* WCC NEXT INNINGS — compact modern chapter within the Veterans website | V6.24
   Scope lock: section-only presentation. No logo/header geometry changes are made here. */
.next-shell{--ni-blue:#0f3f69;--ni-blue2:#245f8d;--ni-soft:#e9f1f7;--ni-gold:#b58a3c;--ni-paper:#fbfaf5;--ni-ink:#24303a;background:linear-gradient(180deg,#f8f5ec 0%,#fff 56%,#f8f4e9 100%);color:var(--ni-ink)}
.next-hero{position:relative;overflow:hidden;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0c3458 0%,#154f7b 62%,#103b62 100%);color:#fff;border-bottom:3px solid rgba(181,138,60,.72)}
.next-hero:before{content:"";position:absolute;width:420px;height:420px;border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.10);border-radius:50%;right:-160px;top:-230px}
.next-hero__inner{width:min(1180px,91vw);min-height:390px;margin:0 auto;display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1.08fr) minmax(320px,.72fr);gap:clamp(34px,5vw,76px);align-items:center;padding:56px 0 58px}
.next-hero__copy{max-width:700px}
.next-kicker{margin:0 0 12px;font:800 11px/1.3 Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacing:.19em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#e3c77f}
.next-hero h1{margin:0;font-family:Arial,"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;font-size:clamp(2.7rem,5.1vw,4.6rem);font-weight:650;line-height:.98;letter-spacing:.055em}
.next-ml{margin:13px 0 4px;color:#f4dfaa;font-family:"Noto Sans Malayalam","Nirmala UI",Kartika,sans-serif;font-size:clamp(1.55rem,2.8vw,2.25rem);line-height:1.35}
.next-tag{margin:4px 0 18px;font:700 clamp(1rem,1.7vw,1.2rem)/1.4 Arial,sans-serif;color:#fff}
.next-lead{max-width:660px;margin:0;color:#eef5f9;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.7}
.next-visual{min-height:260px;position:relative;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.24);border-radius:18px;overflow:hidden;background:linear-gradient(145deg,rgba(255,255,255,.10),rgba(255,255,255,.035));box-shadow:0 20px 46px rgba(4,24,42,.22)}
.next-visual:before{content:"";position:absolute;inset:20px;border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.12);border-radius:12px}
.next-visual__pitch{position:absolute;inset:44px 42px 54px;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;gap:12px;border-bottom:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.18)}
.next-visual__pitch:before,.next-visual__pitch:after{content:"";position:absolute;left:12%;right:12%;height:1px;background:rgba(255,255,255,.13)}
.next-visual__pitch:before{top:28%}.next-visual__pitch:after{top:62%}
.next-visual__pitch span{display:block;width:5px;height:74px;border-radius:3px 3px 0 0;background:#e8c977;box-shadow:0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,.08)}
.next-visual__caption{position:relative;z-index:1;width:100%;padding:18px 22px;background:linear-gradient(180deg,transparent,rgba(4,25,43,.78));font-family:Arial,sans-serif}
.next-visual__caption strong{display:block;font-size:1.08rem}.next-visual__caption span{display:block;margin-top:3px;color:#d9e7ef;font-size:.86rem}
.next-content{width:min(1060px,90vw);margin:0 auto;padding:58px 0 64px}
.next-players{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) minmax(270px,.42fr);gap:42px;align-items:center;padding:0 0 48px}
.next-kicker--blue{color:var(--ni-blue2)}.next-kicker--gold{color:var(--ni-gold)}
.next-players h2,.next-story h2{margin:.15rem 0 .85rem;color:var(--ni-blue);font-family:Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:clamp(1.75rem,3vw,2.45rem);line-height:1.15}
.next-players p,.next-story p{margin:0;line-height:1.75;color:#43515c}
.next-profile-note{padding:23px 24px;border:1px solid #cfdae2;border-top:3px solid var(--ni-blue2);border-radius:12px;background:#fff;box-shadow:0 10px 28px rgba(14,59,96,.07)}
.next-profile-note strong,.next-profile-note span,.next-profile-note small{display:block}
.next-profile-note strong{color:var(--ni-blue);font:800 1rem/1.35 Arial,sans-serif}.next-profile-note span{margin-top:8px;color:#36566e;font:700 .9rem/1.45 Arial,sans-serif}.next-profile-note small{margin-top:7px;color:#6a747b;line-height:1.5}
.next-story{text-align:center;padding:42px clamp(24px,5vw,56px);border-top:1px solid #d8d1c0;border-bottom:1px solid #d8d1c0;background:rgba(255,255,255,.64)}
.next-story p{max-width:720px;margin:0 auto}
.next-bridge{margin-top:24px;display:flex;justify-content:center;align-items:center;gap:11px;flex-wrap:wrap;color:var(--ni-blue);font:800 .88rem/1.4 Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacing:.035em;text-transform:uppercase}
.next-bridge i{color:var(--ni-gold);font-style:normal;font-weight:900}
@media(max-width:820px){.next-hero__inner{grid-template-columns:1fr;padding:48px 0}.next-visual{min-height:220px}.next-players{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:26px}.next-content{padding:46px 0 54px}}
@media(max-width:580px){.next-hero__inner{width:min(88vw,520px);min-height:0;padding:42px 0 44px;gap:28px}.next-hero h1{font-size:clamp(2.25rem,11vw,3.25rem);letter-spacing:.035em}.next-lead{font-size:.95rem}.next-visual{min-height:190px}.next-visual__pitch{inset:34px 32px 50px}.next-visual__pitch span{height:58px}.next-content{width:88vw;padding:40px 0 48px}.next-story{padding:34px 20px}.next-bridge{gap:8px;font-size:.8rem}}

/* V6.26 compact verified-data modules */
.next-modules{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));gap:16px;padding:0 0 48px}
.next-modules article{padding:22px 24px;border:1px solid #d5dde2;border-top:3px solid var(--ni-blue2);border-radius:10px;background:#fff;box-shadow:0 8px 22px rgba(14,59,96,.055)}
.next-modules article>span{display:block;margin-bottom:7px;color:var(--ni-gold);font:800 10px/1.3 Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase}
.next-modules h3{margin:0 0 8px;color:var(--ni-blue);font-family:Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:1.35rem;line-height:1.2}
.next-modules p{margin:0;color:#4b5963;line-height:1.65}
.next-module-wide{grid-column:1/-1}
@media(max-width:720px){.next-modules{grid-template-columns:1fr}.next-module-wide{grid-column:auto}}
/* Next Generation invitation — controlled addition */
.next-generation-invite{
  margin:0 0 28px;
}

.next-generation-invite__inner{
  position:relative;
  overflow:hidden;
  padding:28px 30px 30px;
  border:1px solid #d5dde2;
  border-top:3px solid var(--ni-blue2);
  border-radius:12px;
  background:#fff;
  box-shadow:0 10px 28px rgba(14,59,96,.07);
}

.next-generation-invite__inner::after{
  content:"";
  position:absolute;
  top:0;
  right:0;
  width:150px;
  height:100%;
  pointer-events:none;
  background:linear-gradient(135deg,transparent 25%,rgba(232,201,119,.12));
}

.next-generation-invite h2{
  position:relative;
  z-index:1;
  margin:.15rem 0 .7rem;
  color:var(--ni-blue);
  font-family:Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;
  font-size:clamp(1.65rem,2.8vw,2.15rem);
  line-height:1.15;
}

.next-generation-invite p{
  position:relative;
  z-index:1;
  max-width:900px;
  margin:0;
  color:#43515c;
  line-height:1.7;
}

.next-generation-invite__button{
  position:relative;
  z-index:1;
  display:inline-flex;
  align-items:center;
  justify-content:center;
  margin-top:20px;
  padding:12px 20px;
  border:1px solid var(--ni-blue2);
  border-radius:8px;
  background:var(--ni-blue2);
  color:#fff;
  font:800 .9rem/1.2 Arial,sans-serif;
  letter-spacing:.02em;
  text-decoration:none;
}

.next-generation-invite__button:hover,
.next-generation-invite__button:focus-visible{
  background:var(--ni-blue);
  border-color:var(--ni-blue);
  color:#fff;
  text-decoration:none;
}

.next-generation-invite__button:focus-visible{
  outline:3px solid var(--ni-gold);
  outline-offset:3px;
}

@media(max-width:720px){
  .next-generation-invite{
    margin-bottom:22px;
  }

  .next-generation-invite__inner{
    padding:24px 20px 25px;
  }

  .next-generation-invite__button{
    width:100%;
    box-sizing:border-box;
  }
}