Andreeva sweeps past Pegula to reach WTA Finals title match after hot-mic controversy

Sport | The Guardian

• Russian teen beats American 6-3, 6-4 at Indian Wells

• French Open champion, 19, assures world No 2 ranking

The rise of Mirra Andreeva has seemed inevitable ever since she burst on to the tour as a precocious 15-year-old more than three years ago, but this week, six months after her maiden grand slam triumph at Roland Garros, she has taken another massive step forward in her career. The 19-year-old will attempt to close out the most impressive week of her career by winning one of her most significant titles after thoroughly outplaying Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the championship match of the WTA Finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

A year ago, Andreeva surprisingly failed to qualify for the WTA Finals, missing out by a paltry six points after bizarrely deciding not to compete in the final tournament week before the event. The world No 3 has been utterly supreme in her long-awaited debut appearance, bulldozing through elite opposition to reach the final without dropping a set. She has conceded just 18 games in four matches this week, including a 6-4, 6-0 demolition of the No 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka, winning 11 games in succession from 1-4 down.

November 14th 2026, 5:32 pm

Wales’ Dewi Lake calls historic win against New Zealand ‘amazing feeling’

Sport | The Guardian

• ‘It’s nothing this group doesn’t deserve for their work’

• Beauden Barrett: ‘Their defence felt like a brick wall’

Dewi Lake, the first Wales captain to lead his team to victory over New Zealand in 73 years, paid tribute to his teammates, who chiselled this win out of a recent history of adversity, sometimes even humiliation. At last, they gave this rugby nation reason to be proud again, as he called the win an “amazing feeling”.

“It’s nice to sit in this room and not be disappointed,” he said. “I think we got asked a lot of questions last week in terms of performance, in terms of things that went wrong. We had tough conversations in the week [after a narrow win over Japan]. We’re a group that trusts each other a lot, and to put on the field what we did today, to make history, it’s tough to put it into words really. But it is nothing this group doesn’t deserve for the work they put in for the last year, year and a half.”

November 14th 2026, 5:32 pm

Declan Rice accepts he had an ‘average World Cup’ as England gear up for Spain showdown

Sport | The Guardian

• Midfielder needed a break ‘to come back stronger’

• James Trafford selected to start in goal for England

Declan Rice has admitted he had an “average” World Cup at the end of a gruelling season and needed time out during the international window in September and October in order to return stronger.

The Arsenal midfielder believes the break has served its purpose, having produced starring performances against Bayern Munich and Liverpool in recent weeks. He is now ready to hit his best level for England in Sunday’s Nations League showdown against Spain at the Metropolitano Stadium.

November 14th 2026, 4:47 pm

Here Manchester United go again, taking the Two Ronnies route to hiring a new boss | Jonathan Wilson

Sport | The Guardian

Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival feels like yet another appointment that would have been better made a few years ago

Magnusson: And your time starts ... now! What is paleontology? Smithers: Yes, absolutely correct. Magnusson: What’s the name of the directory that lists members of the peerage? Smithers: A study of old fossils. Magnusson: Correct. Who are Len Murray and Sir Geoffrey Howe? Smithers: Burke’s. Magnusson: Correct. What is the difference between a donkey and an ass? Smithers: One’s a trade union leader, the other’s a member of the Cabinet …

One of the Two Ronnies’ most celebrated sketches involves a Mastermind contestant whose specialist subject is answering the previous question. History repeats itself: the first time as comedy, the second time as Manchester United, who seem continually to be answering not the question of who would be the best available manager now, but who might have been the best available manager a few years ago.

November 14th 2026, 4:02 pm

Portugal immortalise Cristiano Ronaldo’s No 7 shirt in tribute to national legend

Sport | The Guardian

• Original No 7 design preserved to honour player

• Career brought 146 goals and three major titles

Portugal have made a permanent change to the No 7 shirt to honour the legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo and ensure the number remains forever associated with their greatest footballing icon.

The former forward, whose career spanned 23 years and 246 caps in which he scored 146 goals, announced his retirement on 5 November after a falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. His last appearance for Portugal was on 24 September, in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.

November 14th 2026, 2:48 pm

Clinical Norway dent Wales’ Nations League top-tier hopes with victory in Oslo

Sport | The Guardian

• Home side avenge October defeat in Cardiff

• Wales bottom of Group A4 with one game left

Wales suffered a 3-1 defeat to Norway in Oslo to dent their hopes of staying in the top tier of the Nations League.

Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup struck in the space of nine second-half minutes as Norway turned the screw.

November 14th 2026, 2:48 pm

De la Fuente adamant there is no racism in Spain despite England reminder to players

Sport | The Guardian

• England’s first game in Madrid since racist abuse in 2004

• De la Fuente tells Tuchel ‘we’re not racists, none of us’

Luis de la Fuente has told Thomas Tuchel there is no racism in Spain after the England coach’s admission that he would remind his players of the anti-racism protocol prior to their meeting at the Metropolitano on Sunday night.

This will be the first time the countries play each other in Madrid since some of England’s black players were subjected to racist abuse in a match at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2004. And although England have returned to Spain three times without incident since then, twice in Seville and once in Alicante, Tuchel was asked about going back in the buildup to Sunday’s game. The England coach replied that England “will not expect anything [untoward]” but also said: “maybe we take our five minutes to inform the players about the protocol if there is a precedent [in Madrid].”

November 14th 2026, 2:48 pm

England leave Jones sucking lemons but demolition of Japan shows widening gulf | Gerard Meagher

Sport | The Guardian

Brave Blossoms looked like Sunday afternoon amateurs but the one-sided result highlights the failings of the international landscape

What can we surmise from that? England are very good at shooting fish in a barrel. Max Ojomoh looks the part when given the freedom of Twickenham in which to operate. Will Joseph can finish, Maro Itoje can remove candy from the clutches of a baby and someone on the TV production crew has a sadistic streak.

After almost every England try – and there were 13 of them here – the camera would pan to Eddie Jones in the coaches’ box. His face that little more forlorn every time. One more lemon sucked. Japan had a man sent off before they had touched the ball and things got no better for the Brave Blossoms.

November 14th 2026, 2:48 pm

Five-try Will Joseph equals record as England steamroller Japan

Sport | The Guardian

• England 78-15 Japan

• Steve Borthwick’s men score 13 tries

Not every game of rugby can deliver a result for the ages. Admittedly, England do not score 13 tries every week but even if the hosts had run up 150 points they would have struggled to eclipse this weekend’s remarkable events in Cardiff and Paris. That said, in the annals of one-sided contests on this famous old stretch of turf, there have been few to match this virtual procession.

To say Japan came a distant second is to be polite in the extreme. From the moment Will Joseph collected a hat-trick of tries inside the game’s opening 20 minutes it was simply a question of how many points England would rack up and, to their credit, Maro Itoje’s side tucked into the free buffet with relish. Joseph, playing only his second Test, claimed a record-equalling five tries as his side comfortably topped their previous highest score against the Brave Blossoms.

November 14th 2026, 2:02 pm

Wales bury 73-year All Blacks hoodoo with seismic victory over New Zealand

Sport | The Guardian

• Wales 35-28 New Zealand

• Home side secure first win over All Blacks since 1953

Just when you expect it the least. By what wild logic did Wales choose now to pull off a victory 73 years in the seeking? There may have been only 55,000 in Cardiff’s great stadium, but judging by the noise alone, Wales are back.

An extraordinary defensive display for the last half-hour kept wave after wave of New Zealand attacks at bay, each greeted as if the most sublime of tries by JPR, Gareth, Shane or JJ. None of those ever tasted this, but now a new generation of Welshmen, still young and hopeful, can add a win over the All Blacks to their CV.

November 14th 2026, 12:04 pm

Chelsea go top of WSL as Sandy Baltimore bullet sees off Manchester City

Sport | The Guardian

Pragmatic, resolute and gutsy. Sonia Bompastor showed her ruthless side and delivered a tactical masterclass as Chelsea earned a 1-0 win over Manchester City and leapfrogged them at the top of the Women’s Super League.

Sandy Baltimore’s stunning strike in added time at the end of the first half was the difference, as the west London side nullified the threat of a team that had scored in each of their preceding 21 games in all competitions, delivering their first loss of the campaign.

November 14th 2026, 12:04 pm

Norway v Wales: Nations League – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Updates from 5pm (GMT) kick-off at the Ullevaal Stadion

• Get in touch: email Scott and follow us on BlueSky

Wales could do with winning this one all right. Group A4 currently looks like this …

1. Portugal P4 W 4 D0 L0 GD+5 Pts 12
2. Denmark P4 W2 D0 L2 GD0 Pts 6
3. Wales P4 W1 D0 L3 GD-3 Pts 3
4. Norway P4 W1 D0 L3 GD-2 Pts 3

November 14th 2026, 10:47 am

England v Japan: Nations Championship rugby union – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Updates from 4.40pm (GMT) start at the Allianz Stadium

• Preview: Ojomoh and Pollock get their shot | Email Alex

An electrifying Nations Championship game is taking place in Cardiff right now: Wales are winning 35-28 against the All Blacks with about 15 minutes left!

The hosts started like a train, scoring two tries in the first five minutes. New Zealand have kept reeling them in – but Wales keep on slugging back.

November 14th 2026, 10:47 am

Mauricio Pochettino asked the US to believe in his project. Did he believe in it himself?

Sport | The Guardian

The coach’s tenure with the USMNT brought a whiplash of highs and lows. He met some goals but also left many with the impression he never truly bought in

It did not take US men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino very long to take his first big swing.

He’d just taken the reins of the program after a disastrous performance at the 2024 Copa América cost his predecessor his job, with the first home World Cup in three decades looming on the horizon. The federation introduced him in New York City, on the 24th floor of a building overlooking the Hudson River. In short order, he was asked about the culture surrounding the program. In his answer, he invoked the four-time World Cup champion US women.

November 14th 2026, 9:15 am

Blue Jays’ Anthony Santander apologizes for sharing anti-Muslim social media posts

Sport | The Guardian

• Toronto outfielder deleted posts after backlash

• Santander says content fell short of his beliefs

• Blue Jays have not announced disciplinary action

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander apologized Friday for sharing anti-Muslim social media posts, saying the content had caused hurt and did not reflect his beliefs.

In a statement posted to his Instagram story, Santander said reflection and conversations with people he trusts had made him realize he should have been more thoughtful about what he shared and the responsibility that comes with having a public platform.

November 14th 2026, 8:33 am

Chelsea v Manchester City: Women’s Super League – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Updates from 1.30pm (GMT) kick-off at Stamford Bridge

• Get in touch: email Simon and follow us on BlueSky

Essential pre-match reading: here’s Suzanne Wrack’s preview of Chelsea v Manchester City:

There was a time when the games between the top three – traditionally Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal – were title-deciders. Where every point taken off a title rival was key. Such was the gap in investment and quality between those teams and the rest of the Women’s Super League, it was extremely rare that points would be dropped to teams outside that elite clique.

But when Chelsea welcome the title holders and current league leaders to Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime the three points isn’t the most important takeaway. Instead, based on the state of play, it’s the momentum, confidence, belief and bragging rights that are critical.

November 14th 2026, 8:03 am

Cheltenham November meeting horse racing – live

Sport | The Guardian

• First race gets under way at 12.35pm (all times GMT)

• Paddy Power Gold Cup Steeplechase at 2.40pm

• Share your thoughts with Greg via email

They are on the way to post at Cheltenham for the opener, a handicap chase for amateur riders over three miles and a furlong, and the going is now good, good-to-firm in places.

Transmission, Top Guy and Jaccours are all non-runners here, leaving nine runners and a market headed by Olly Murphy’s Little Ledgend at 11-4.

November 14th 2026, 7:32 am

Portugal did the extraordinary with Cristiano Ronaldo. Can they do it without him?

Sport | The Guardian

The captain, the talisman, the brand: former teammates and experts discuss Portugal entering a new era after 23 years

There are days football fans hope will never come. For Portugal, this is one of them. For 23 years, Cristiano Ronaldo has been more than the country’s greatest footballer; he has been its defining sporting figure, a symbol of national pride and constant presence in the lives of supporters. After 234 appearances and 146 goals, the No 7 brought that chapter to a close and on Saturday night the team will play their first game without him.

The national side are losing more than a great footballer; they are also losing one of the world’s biggest brands. Daniel Sá, the executive director of the Portuguese institute of marketing administration, believes Portugal require reinvention to attract at least some of the millions of viewers who tuned in because of CR7.

November 14th 2026, 5:45 am

England ready to play first Test in Zimbabwe since bad-tempered 1996 tour

Sport | The Guardian

• ECB commits in principle to match in Victoria Falls

• Drawn Test 30 years ago left David Lloyd fuming

England are set to play their first Test match in Zimbabwe since the infamous David Lloyd “we flippin’ murdered ’em!” series in 1996 in the next edition of the International Cricket Council’s future tours programme, covering 2027 to 2031.

During discussions with Zimbabwe Cricket at the ICC’s quarterly meeting in Bali this week, the England and Wales Cricket Board has committed in principle to visiting for a Test match during the next cycle, although a firm date has yet to be agreed.

November 14th 2026, 5:45 am

Pochettino to Manchester United latest, WSL and Nations League buildup – matchday live

Sport | The Guardian

• All the latest news from around the footballing world

• Get in touch: contact our matchday live writers on email

Among the 20 managers with more than 290 matches in the Premier League, only the five “big beasts” of Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have better points-per-game averages than Mauricio Pochettino. He is an elite manager…

Michael Carrick released a statement yesterday following his Manchester United departure.

November 14th 2026, 5:45 am

Scientists find blood biomarker that opens door to CTE diagnosis in living patients

Sport | The Guardian

• Condition is prevalent in rugby and American football

• Scientists are optimistic of significant breakthrough

Scientists have moved a step closer to diagnosing the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living people, after a study found a blood biomarker that identifies an advanced form of the disease.

As things stand CTE, which is caused by repeated trauma to the head and is especially prevalent in collision and contact sports such as American football, rugby and football, can be diagnosed only after death by examining brain tissue.

November 14th 2026, 5:45 am

De la Fuente feels the strain as Lamine Yamal club v country debate rages in Spain

Sport | The Guardian

Head coach hits out at ‘lies’ as suggestions of preferential treatment for young star overshadow preparations for England game in Madrid

From the London Palladium to Madrid’s Metropolitano, they’re all here. On Sunday night, the footballers who lifted the game’s biggest awards meet again three weeks later and on the field this time, dinner jackets but not a single man left behind. Harry Kane, the Ballon d’Or and Gerd Müller trophy winner. Unai Simón, holder of the Lev Yashin award. Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the year who on Thursday night announced that also joining them will be Lamine Yamal, the kid who lifted the Kopa award as the best young player for the third year running and said he would have preferred Pau Cubarsí to be standing there instead. And, yes, Cubarsí will be there too for the final Nations League group game.

At 1.45pm the world and European champions landed back at Madrid’s Barajas airport from Prague, where they had won again, before making their way by bus to their Las Rozas HQ, around the M40 motorway to the north-west of the capital. At about the same time, Lamine Yamal arrived from Barcelona, due in at midday. As was Mikel Oyarzabal, scorer of the winner at Euro 2024 and Spain’s top marksman this summer (not that he would ever tell you so) from San Sebastián. At 7.30pm, they trained, preparing to meet the World Cup semi-finalists and the team they defeated in Berlin at the end of Euro 2024. Two starters from the World Cup final will be absent: Dani Olmo and the captain, 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, are injured. But everyone else will be there.

November 14th 2026, 5:45 am

‘Stinks of a cover-up’: David Warner fans flames with new sandpapergate claim

Sport | The Guardian

• Former batter said Hazlewood, Lyon and Starc not interviewed in 2018

• Ex vice-captain claimed Cricket Australia ran ‘shoddy investigation’

David Warner has further fanned the flames on Australian cricket’s civil war as he claimed three of the bowlers who played in the third Test against South Africa in 2018 were not interviewed as part of a “shoddy” investigation into the sandpaper scandal.

The former Australia vice-captain said the ball tampering investigation “stinks of a cover-up”, as he claimed on social media that the trio weren’t interviewed by Cricket Australia in the wake of Cameron Bancroft being spotted handling sandpaper on the field in Cape Town. The three players were part of a bowling quartet with Pat Cummins at the time.

November 14th 2026, 5:45 am

McCullum backs Pietersen to help England after collapse on ‘trampoline’ pitch

Sport | The Guardian

• England dismissed for just 131 in opening ODI in Perth

• McCullum: ‘KP’s message will be measured but firm’

Brendon McCullum has backed Kevin Pietersen to help educate England’s batting lineup before the “­specialist mentor” he hired in the summer leaves the tour of Australia after Sunday’s second one-day ­international in Adelaide.

The collapse to 131 all out for a seven-wicket defeat in Perth on Friday naturally brought back memories of the first Ashes Test 12 months ago. But more relevant is what it means should a similarly fast, bouncy surface – such as at the Wanderers in Johannesburg – be encountered during next year’s 50-over World Cup in southern Africa.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

Ponga and Walsh lead old rivals into Rugby League World Cup showdown

Sport | The Guardian

Electrifying full-backs take centre stage in men’s final before Australia and New Zealand meet again in the women’s decider

In so many ways this has been a Rugby League World Cup of change. New formats, new stories, new nations rising and even a rarity for this tournament: a financial profit. But for all the evolution and growth witnessed in the past month, the final acts arrive with a familiar international comfort blanket.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that, while the men’s final in Brisbane is the one everyone expected, Australia and New Zealand are contesting it for the first time since 2013. In 2017, England tried and failed to dethrone the Kangaroos while four years ago it was Samoa who were beaten finalists. Now the Kiwis are next to try.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

Ojomoh and Pollock get their shot as England’s World Cup hopefuls aim to crush Japan

Sport | The Guardian

Steve Borthwick is ringing the changes and George Ford, despite his 108 caps, also knows he needs to perform

In Tokyo this week the police have been seeking to help newly arrived visitors from overseas. Several local bar and restaurant managers have been arrested for targeting and ripping off unwary tourists who had walked into their establishments in good faith. Unfortunately for Japan’s rugby players, as they prepare to enter England’s chilly lair, there is no such reciprocal deal to protect them from a collective south-west London mugging on Saturday afternoon.

Instead they will be required to fend for themselves, with the odds heavily stacked in the home team’s favour. England have racked up a half-century of points against the Brave Blossoms in both their two most recent meetings – and that was before rugby’s try-scoring rates began ratcheting upwards. Japan’s arrival also neatly intersects with their hosts’ desire to build on the momentum of last Sunday’s 45-22 win over Australia.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

John McGinn double saves Scotland’s blushes against North Macedonia

Sport | The Guardian

A special occasion for Andy Robertson saw Scotland flirt with embarrassment. Collection of his 102nd cap moves him level with Kenny Dalglish in the all-time Scottish list. Robertson will soon be a record holder. This was, however, John McGinn’s night. A double from McGinn, the second a penalty, spared Scottish blushes against a North Macedonia team who threatened to administer red faces to those in navy blue.

This proved an almighty struggle for Scotland. Questions – and plenty of them – surround whether or not Sébastien Pocognoli can build on the excellent work of his predecessor Steve Clarke. For now, Scotland are a tough watch. Pocognoli looks tactically inflexible and this is not the new dawn many predicted.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

Jonbon shines on yet another trying day for troubled home of jumps racing

Sport | The Guardian

Popular chaser victorious but ground issues, horses slipping and the low sun are all negatives for Cheltenham

One of the more remarkable career records in jumping was extended again on Friday as Jonbon, one of the most popular chasers in training, won the Shloer Chase for the third time in the last four seasons and maintained his lifetime streak of never having finished outside the first two in 29 starts under National Hunt rules.

On the opening day of Cheltenham’s second-biggest meeting, though, it also felt like a somewhat flat success, out of keeping with the setting and occasion. Jonbon was left with just two rivals to beat after Gidleigh Park, the second-favourite on Friday morning, was ruled out a couple of hours before the race due to concerns about the drying ground.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

A cricketing drama to divide a nation: why the sandpaper scandal is Australia’s Bazball | Barney Ron

Sport | The Guardian

The sandpaper affair is back, and the reason it has hit Australia so hard is because it is sneaky – or basically quite English

Any plans for the weekend? Personally I’m all set. I will be watching the full Pat Cummins sandpaper denial press conference, filmed live on location in Sydney on Friday morning, and now preserved uncut and un-redacted on YouTube.

I will not speed it up, or flick through impatiently only to find myself bogged down in endless adverts for old fat guys doing military calisthenics, and pills that will dissolve the vile writhing parasites that definitely live in my guts.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

France cling on for furious victory against South Africa after Dupont sizzles

Sport | The Guardian

• France 21-19 South Africa

• Scrum-half key in thriller full of twists and turns

Friday night at the Stade de France may just be the best show in sport. The French had laid on a full Cecil B DeMille production: fireworks, flamethrowers, floodlights, a multicoloured drone show involving a three-storey-tall cockerel that then reassembled itself into a beating red, blue and white heart before transforming into a vast tricolore along with 150 dancers carrying LEDs who performed to an ear-splitting choral rendition of Madonna’s Like a Prayer. Astonishingly enough, what came after actually lived up to it.

It had twists and turns, a scattering of superb performances from some of the finest players in the game, a fistful of red and yellow cards, fantastic free-wheeling tries and several agonisingly intense stretches of scrummaging and defence, a clutch of hugely controversial decisions by both coaches and the referee, and one crucial missed conversion. At the end of it all, somehow, France had won by two points, 21-19, in their first victory against the Springboks at their national stadium in 21 years.

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

Tearful Pochettino says United job was ‘difficult to turn down’ in USMNT farewell

Sport | The Guardian

• Coach was ‘transparent’ in dealings with club, federation

• Pochettino had signed deal to stay with US through 2030

There were always going to be tears at Mauricio Pochettino’s news conference at US Soccer’s national training center on Friday. It was only a matter of when. Pochettino is famously emotional, and nobody in attendance had to wait long for the waterworks – they came during his introductory remarks, as he thanked the US Soccer executives flanking him for the opportunity to guide the US men. He grew emotional again as he addressed his impending departure for Manchester United, one announced just hours earlier.

“I think [the decision was],” Pochettino said, pausing to compose himself, “one of the most difficult decisions of our careers. Thank you guys. Thank you so much.”

November 13th 2026, 6:14 pm

Cummins stands firm on ball tampering to leave Australian cricket back where it started | Geoff Lemo

Sport | The Guardian

The Test captain kept his promise to answer all questions at a press conference that made his position clear and filled some but not all gaps

Our coverage on Thursday said that Pat Cummins needed to front up, and nobody can fairly say that he didn’t. It was a proper ’til-they-drop affair from Australia’s cricket captain, an hour and 10 minutes at a press conference podium taking questions about the 2018 ball-tampering episode until every journalist present ran out of steam. You might have expected some partial concession to teammate Usman Khawaja’s depiction of endemic cheating, but Cummins was firm that this did not reflect the life he’d known. Once more with feeling, but more importantly with detail.

Media accounts will now depict this as Cummins and Khawaja at war, because a falling-out among friends is a juicy story to fatten up and serve for gluttony. It isn’t fair, because both have emphasised the importance of their friendship, strained as it must now be. As two thoughtful people with shared history, they have a better chance than most to find a way through.

November 13th 2026, 10:14 am

Manchester United confirm Pochettino appointment; Fernandes rejects second contract offer: football

Sport | The Guardian

• Pochettino is due to speak later on Friday

• Today’s fixtures | Follow us on TikTok | Mail Dominic

Barney Ronay was at Wembley on Thursday night to celebrate Happy Harry Kane day.

“And as the teams lined up there was a surprise appearance from the real star of this stage, the Ballon d’Or itself, wreathed in event glamour and star-flash. Kane drew the ballon from its stone in Arthurian fashion, then held it a little sheepishly in one hand. Prince William walked out and gave him a massive framed shirt, which seemed weird in the moment, like the chief area sales manager presenting the prize from the Christmas raffle. Has Prince William ever been asked to carry anything before?”

November 13th 2026, 7:41 am

Chess: Carlsen comes to town with tantalising tests for London Classic Super Rapid

Sport | The Guardian

The Norwegian world No 1 will be among 500 competitors in the 10-round contest of 15-minute games

Magnus Carlsen makes a very rare appearance in an open tournament on 5-6 December when the Norwegian, who has topped the world rankings for 15 successive years, competes in the 10-round Super Rapid at the XTX Markets London Classic. The venue is the Novotel West at Hammersmith and the time limit is 15 minutes per player for the entire game, plus a 10 seconds increment for each move.

In 2025, 267 players entered the Super Rapid. On Monday, when Carlsen’s participation was announced, the entry doubled in just 12 hours and is now close to 400. The capacity is 500 and Alex Holowczak, the Chief Arbiter, expects that figure to be reached this weekend or early next week. His advice to anyone contemplating entry is to do so as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The link to the entry form is here.

November 13th 2026, 7:41 am

Rugby League World Cup glory again for England’s wheelchair champions

Sport | The Guardian

• England prevail 50-38 over France in Wollongong final

• Joe Coyd scores four tries to set successful title defence

England men’s wheelchair rugby league team completed an historic defence of their World Cup title, defeating their great rivals France in a thrilling final in Wollongong which underlined the overwhelming positives of the sport.

The English and the French have been the two dominant nations in the wheelchair game, sharing the previous four World Cup titles between them. On the field, they have produced thunderous and often controversial encounters but off it, there is great respect in a sport that allows disabled and able-bodied athletes to compete alongside one another.

November 13th 2026, 7:41 am

Australia race to paltry target after debutant quick Beardman routs England in first ODI

Sport | The Guardian

A week of watching Australian cricket descend into civil war ended with smiles being wiped from English faces after a stunning debut from fast bowler Mahli Beardman consigned the tourists to an all-too-familiar hammering in Perth.

Victory in a low-key one-day international was never going to atone for the galling start to that failed Ashes campaign here 12 months ago. Nevertheless, England appeared better prepared this time, while the hosts were missing their big three quicks and fighting sandpaper-related bushfires off the field.

And yet by 4.38pm local time – nine hours after Pat Cummins had finished his marathon takedown of Usman Khawaja’s autobiography in Sydney – Harry Brook’s side were 1-0 down once again. Rolled for 131 all out in just 33.4 overs, having been 68 for eight at one stage, a seven-wicket loss was the upshot.

There was more than a touch of Cummins about their tormentor on the day, too, with Beardman claiming figures of six for 24 from 7.4 overs in his first ODI – a new national record, no less. Just 21 years old, but already touching 90mph on the speed gun, the Western Australian looks a considerable prospect.

Much like Cummins, Beardman has been mentored by the great Dennis Lillee and endured battles with a rebellious body along the way. Even with a first-class debut still pending, it would not be a shock to see him handed a baggy green cap in the coming months or travel to England for the Ashes next year.

November 13th 2026, 7:41 am

Sports quiz of the week: records, rancour, rivarly and recriminations

Sport | The Guardian

Have you followed the big stories in football, rugby league, ice hockey, NFL, rugby union, golf, tennis and cricket?

November 13th 2026, 7:41 am

The beautiful game: revived art prize gives football its creative due once more | Emma John

Sport | The Guardian

Football and the art world have long remained distant but the breadth of entries for this year’s award revivals a healthy revival

It may be the Beautiful Game, but in its early decades football was a rare subject for artists. The Italian Futurist Umberto Boccioni whirled an athlete’s body into a vortex of movement in his 1913 painting Dynamism of a Soccer Player. You can see one of the earliest fine art depictions of a match – a smoggy, factory-adjactent scene called Any Wintry Afternoon in England – at the Manchester Art Gallery. If 1930s abstraction is more your thing, you can enjoy decoding the geometric shapes in Kazimir Malevich’s Painterly Realism of a Football Player – Color Masses in the 4th Dimension. I’m guessing the small green pea shape is a ball.

These, in any case, were exceptions. In 1953 the Football Association launched an art prize, backed by the newly formed Arts Council: the winning works included Going To The Match by LS Lowry, with its crowds flocking to Bolton Wanderers’ then home ground, Burnden Park. An exhibition of the submissions, Football and The Fine Arts, toured the country and the FA secretary, Sir Stanley Rous, said he hoped it would finally break the barrier between those two worlds.

November 13th 2026, 7:41 am

‘Abrasive’, ‘arrogant’ and ‘ugly’: standout moments from Pat Cummins’ sandpapergate press conference

Sport | The Guardian

Australian cricket captain breaks silence over allegations in Usman Khawaja’s book about 2018 ball tampering in South Africa

After a torrid week, Australia’s Test captain, Pat Cummins, promised he would answer every question thrown at him in one of the most eagerly anticipated press conferences in recent sporting memory.

And, over the course of 70 minutes at Cricket Central in Sydney, he did just that, covering a range of topics from sandpaper and ball tampering to Australian cricket culture and his friendship with Usman Khawaja, whose book Sabr, released on Tuesday, has caused ructions in the Australian cricket community.

November 13th 2026, 2:41 am

Pochettino’s Chelsea maelstrom the best yardstick for what lies ahead at United

Sport | The Guardian

Argentinian oversaw high-scoring games in his one Chelsea season and Opta predicts his Manchester United side will move upfield quicker than that team

Among the 20 managers with more than 290 matches in the Premier League, only the five “big beasts” of Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have better points-per-game averages than Mauricio Pochettino. He is an elite manager.

Pochettino took over Southampton midway through their first season back in the top flight (2012-13) after the club spent seven years in the lower leagues. In his only full campaign, they finished eighth. He led Tottenham to second in 2016-17, third in the seasons either side, and reached the 2019 Champions League final. His presence lifted those clubs.

November 13th 2026, 2:41 am

It’s Happy Harry Kane day as England’s finest seizes his moment in style | Barney Ronay

Sport | The Guardian

The Ballon d’Or validated the forward’s career and he extended his incredible record for England with yet another goal on his 126th appearance

Happy Harry Kane day! And many happy Harry returns. There is a process in clinical psychology known as semantic satiation. Subjects are asked to repeat a word or phrase so many times that it loses any kind of meaning. Suddenly “daffodils” is just an absurd, empty set of sounds. So it was in the buildup to Harry Kane’s record-breaking 126th cap, at the end of Harry Kane Ballon d’Or fortnight, as Harry Kane’s England were led out by top scorer Harry Kane, climax to a week of Harry Kane tributes, Harry Kane montages, 26-page Harry Kane … wait. Where were we?

This was that kind of occasion from start to finish, a night where you expected to look up from your desk mid-match to see Kane’s head looming helpfully over your shoulder, to enter the Wembley toilets at half-time and find him silently offering you a breath mint and a scented tissue.

November 13th 2026, 1:30 am

Australia v England: first men’s cricket one-day international – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Updates from the ODI series opener at Perth Stadium

• Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email

All the talk of past deeds and perhaps even future global tournaments can be pushed aside as Xavier Bartlett stands at the top of his mark with Tom Banton on strike and Ben Duckett at the other end. Let’s play …

Thanks for Will to nudging attention closer to the action in Perth as the players line up for the Welcome to Country and the national anthems.

November 13th 2026, 1:30 am

Much-changed England told to ignore World Cup and put team first against Japan

Sport | The Guardian

• Only three retained in same positions from Australia game

• ‘We want the very best of these guys,’ says Maro Itoje

England’s World Cup hopefuls have been warned not to go off script when auditioning for a place on the plane next year after Steve Borthwick rang the changes to his side to face Japan on Saturday, handing starts to rookies Will Joseph and Max Ojomoh as well as Henry Pollock.

Borthwick has made 10 personnel and two positional changes to his team to play Eddie Jones’s side with a glut of injuries, a handful of players in need of a rest and the head coach’s determination to give those such as Joseph and Ojomoh, who line up on the right wing and inside centre respectively, the chance to shine. Pollock makes his second start, coming in at No 8, while the Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland is in line for a debut from the bench.

November 12th 2026, 7:12 pm

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins calls Khawaja's sandpapergate claims ‘complete and utter nonsense

Sport | The Guardian

• Cummins insists he did not know of ball tampering plot in South Africa

• ‘No masterplan around using illegal methods,’ Cummins says

• Pat Cummins press conference – live reaction

Pat Cummins has flatly denied Usman Khawaja’s claims that the entire team was implicated in the 2018 sandpaper scandal as “complete and utter nonsense” and “100% wrong” in a defiant appearance at a press conference a week after the allegations came to light.

Appearing before dozens of reporters and cameras at Cricket NSW’s headquarters in Sydney, Cummins refuted the allegations aired in his former teammate’s book, Sabr, and said he had no knowledge of the ball tampering plot in South Africa.

November 12th 2026, 7:12 pm

Harry Kane spot on to seal England win over Croatia on his record-breaking night

Sport | The Guardian

It was an historic occasion for Harry Kane, the one when he made his 126th England appearance and overtook Peter Shilton as the nation’s most capped men’s player. And for much of the night, it felt as though the desire to celebrate him, certainly beforehand, was the main thing. The actual football in this Nations League group game felt like a sideshow.

England had demolished Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka last month; it was Croatia’s heaviest defeat. It was a different story here. England lacked cut and thrust. There was a flatness to the Wembley atmosphere. Croatia were never likely to be humbled again and they sensed redemption when Petar Sucic capitalised upon a defensive aberration from Jarell Quansah to equalise for 1-1 just before the hour.

November 12th 2026, 7:12 pm

Michael Carrick was just the latest fall guy for Manchester United’s dysfunctional hierarchy | Jamie

Sport | The Guardian

Disastrous decisions and confused appointments have been a constant theme at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013

For a window into the alarming dysfunction at Manchester United that Michael Carrick failed to manage and caused his sacking, consider the case of Eddie Howe, initially a favourite to succeed the 45-year-old before Mauricio Pochettino’s emergence as the chosen one.

The former Newcastle manager had been Jason Wilcox’s choice to take over from Carrick. Howe was also the favoured candidate of Dan Ashworth, Wilcox’s predecessor as United’s director of football, to follow Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman’s sacking in October 2024. Except Wilcox disagreed and Sir Jim Ratcliffe went with Wilcox’s man, Ruben Amorim, and that December Ashworth departed only five months after joining.

November 12th 2026, 7:12 pm

Gauff saves three set points to beat Kostyuk and keep WTA Finals hopes alive

Sport | The Guardian

• American saves three set points in second-set rally

• Gauff wins six straight games to seal 6-4, 7-5 victory

• World No 4 needs Noskova help to reach last four

Coco Gauff clawed out a 6-4, 7-5 round-robin victory over Marta Kostyuk on Thursday to keep her WTA Finals hopes alive in Indian Wells, California.

The world No 4 still needs help to reach the semi-finals of the elite season-ending event. If fifth-ranked compatriot Jessica Pegula beats Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in Thursday’s final group match, Pegula will advance instead. Noskova has already qualified.

November 12th 2026, 7:12 pm

Pierre Sage’s failure to fix defensive flaws leaves Crystal Palace seeking new solution

Sport | The Guardian

A losing run, set-piece struggles and a call for help led Steve Parish to cut ties with the manager after five months

The moment that summed up Crystal Palace’s season under Pierre Sage came five minutes before half-time at Selhurst Park on Sunday. After Palace had gone close to taking the lead on numerous occasions against Liverpool, the Frenchman must have feared the worst when Alexis Mac Allister headed in from a soft free-kick conceded by Jefferson Lerma. The TV cameras immediately panned to Steve Parish in the stands. After the Palace chair removed his hands from in front of his eyes, his expression said everything you needed to know. The only surprise was that Sage had to wait until Thursday before his inevitable fate was confirmed.

Not since the start of the 2017-18 season, after Frank de Boer was appointed as Palace’s first permanent foreign manager and sacked after five matches, have the club found themselves bottom. In their record 14th consecutive season in the top flight, and with preliminary work having started on building a new £200m main stand despite major doubts over funding, Palace cannot afford to be relegated.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

England v Croatia: Nations League – live

Sport | The Guardian

⚽️ Nations League updates from 7.45pm GMT
⚽️ Kane sets cap record | Live scoreboard | Email Scott

Pre-match postbag. “With tonight’s record being broken, spare a thought for the holder of a more unwanted record, Emlyn Hughes. He won 62 caps and never got to go to the World Cup or Euros finals” – Roger Kirkby

“In the non-Kane-focused-Croatian World of Sport, does Modric’s pine-based residency mean he carried the can for that thing that happened last time? Is he now being shown a Ronaldo-shaped door (the other one)? Do Croatians want this? Is there a ‘Modrić van’ waiting for him every time he is picked?” – Ian Copestake

Shilton
Walker/Moore/Wright/Cole
Beckham/Lampard/Gerrard/Charlton
Rooney/Kane

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

Football Daily | ‘The club would like to thank …’: Manchester United dust off the heartfelt exit mes

Sport | The Guardian

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!

Tuesday 22 April 2014: “Manchester United has announced that David Moyes has left the club. The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role.”

Oh no! Where will the USA! USA! USA! ever be able to find a manager who could lead us to the dizzying heights of yet another humiliating defeat in the round of 16? A completely empty safari shirt on a clothes hanger could do that. Now he’s leaving the national team to prioritise a club team, which is exactly what he criticised Christian Pulisic for doing a while back. A $10m dollar buyout from Manchester United is a way more appealing prospect than another World Cup cycle with this guy. Adios, Mauricio. I’d add gracias, but for what, exactly?” – Chi.

If any Manchester United fans weren’t already feeling that their board had totally lost its moral compass, then might I suggest that in holding the board meeting to seal Michael Carrick’s fate in Monaco a new bar in tone-deafness has been set. Out of touch, no? Pas du tout. Bonne chance, Mauricio, you are going to need it fella. Meanwhile, let’s pencil in the next board meeting for six months’ time or so. Circus Circus in Las Vegas anyone? Might be too many clowns” – John Collins.

With Lil Wayne doing his bit in the jungle, how long before we do actually see Don Pochettino playing a starring role in the Joel & Jim-hosted caper show I’m A Previously Respectable Manager … Get Me Out Of Here?” – Ken Muir.

This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. 

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

France have spent years trying to beat the Boks but belief and bodies are fading

Sport | The Guardian

Injury crisis makes the job harder for Fabien Galthié whose side have beaten South Africa once in their last 10 meetings

The final of this inaugural Nations Championship is two weeks away, but regardless of who makes it through to the last match at Twickenham there’s an irresistible sense that the two best teams from either side of the competition will go head-to-head at the Stade de France this Friday night. France, back-to-back Six Nations champions, play South Africa, back-to-back world champions, and the one team that the French – and anyone else with dreams of becoming the world’s best team – need to find a way to beat in the 12 months before the Springboks take a run at winning a third consecutive World Cup.

France have been looking for one of those for a long time now. This is not an even-sided rivalry. South Africa have won nine of the 10 games the two teams have played in the past 15 years, including the last five in Paris. England, Ireland, even Wales all have better head-to-head records against the Springboks in that same stretch of time. France’s one win was in Marseille in 2022, and whatever good it did them was undone a year later when the Springboks knocked them out of their home World Cup in the quarter-finals.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

Finland bars Russian athletes from entering country over Ukraine war

Sport | The Guardian

• Russians ‘have no business’ in country, says minister

• Skating and cross-country skiing first to be affected

Finland says it will restrict entry to the country for Russian athletes because of the war in Ukraine, potentially affecting a number of winter sports. The move follows a backlash in Finland to Russia being reinstated for the ice hockey world championships.

“As long as Russia’s war of aggression continues, Russian athletes have no business in Finland,” said Elina Valtonen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. “Their entry into the country would be a threat to Finland’s international relations. The same is true of other short-term work under visas that is not essential to Finland’s national interests.”

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

World Cup triumph would be only half the story for England’s wheelchair rugby league squad

Sport | The Guardian

England go into Friday’s final against France hopeful of retaining their title – and inspiring more to take up their fast-growing, compelling sport

Sport in Britain is so often judged on various key metrics. Attendances, TV viewing figures, revenue and, arguably the most important one of all, trophies. On Friday morning, a group of men will represent England in a World Cup final against France, hoping to retain the trophy they won in 2022 while still playing for something far more important.

The captain of England’s rugby league wheelchair team, Lewis King, remembers what things used to be like as a wheelchair athlete. His life changed in 2009 when, aged 24, he was left partially paralysed after a blood clot on his spine that required an emergency operation. At that stage, playing sport felt impossible.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

Arsenal dig deep to earn WCL draw in face of Barcelona dominance

Sport | The Guardian

Arsenal continue to be a sharp thorn in the side of the European champions, Barcelona, digging deep to hold on to a draw here. Frida Maanum put the Gunners ahead despite a hugely dominant performance from Barcelona, but Caroline Graham Hansen’s equaliser ensured the spoils would be shared.

The last time these two teams met, Arsenal were lifting aloft the Champions League trophy at Barcelona’s expense after the most perfect of defensive performances and a Stina Blackstenius goal in Lisbon in 2025. It was a far less perfect defensive performance this time, but Arsenal showed guts against the team that retook their crown last season and showed they can play ugly when needed.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

Steph Curry’s defense of Ayesha exposes the ugly double standards of sports’ manosphere | Andrew Law

Sport | The Guardian

The Warriors superstar’s forceful defense of his wife over an on-screen kiss has exposed the ugly double standards and fragile masculinity of sports’ manosphere

If Steph Curry is leading with his full government name, know that he means business. In a 90-second video released on Wednesday, from the Instagram account of “Wardell Curry”, he put the internet trolls who have been attacking his wife for years on notice. “Usually the noise doesn’t bother me, doesn’t bother Ayesha,” the four-time NBA champion and Paris Olympic knockout artist said. “But when you’re trying to step on the accomplishments of my wife, and feel the need to have to jump in and give an opinion on something that you really don’t know about, [it] kind of speaks to the bigger conversation on how you view women in this world and what they’re allowed and what they’re not allowed to do.”

Posterity will remember this as the NBA’s Oscar slap moment, but without the unnecessary violence. A bizarre turn in the parasocial compact when the restless fanboys pressured a superstar into publicly defending his wife. On this occasion, Curry had to defend his wife for the heinous crime of being the leading lady in a Christmas romcom: a Hallmark knockoff called Second Chance Holiday in which Ayesha Curry plays a dating expert with bad holiday luck and shares a kiss with a man who is not Wardell Stephen Curry II – her husband of 15 years and father to their four children. That apparently was a bridge too far for some of Curry’s former NBA peers.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

Fitness, Fernandes and a back four: how next head coach can reignite Manchester United | Will Unwin

Sport | The Guardian

Michael Carrick’s replacement must find solutions on the pitch and pressure the hierarchy to accept a share of blame

One of the final images of Michael Carrick’s time in charge will be of him standing in the rain on the Old Trafford touchline watching his side succumb to Bournemouth, while his sullen captain sat unused on the bench. Bruno Fernandes was dropped after calling out his head coach’s tactics, although Carrick said it was for football reasons. It was the second combustible television interview in as many Champions League games after Lisandro Martínez pointed the finger at the director of football, Jason Wilcox, for failing to provide a squad suitable for fighting on all fronts.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

Lewis Hamilton says ‘Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling’ after Rafah visit

Sport | The Guardian

• F1 driver urges Israel to let aid into Gaza

• Trip involved tour of facilities with aid workers

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton said on Wednesday that Israel must allow aid ⁠trucks into Gaza, a day after he visited the Rafah border crossing in Egypt.

Hamilton, a seven-time ⁠world champion, arrived ⁠in ​El Arish on Tuesday, where he was briefed on how aid is prepared and coordinated before it ⁠is sent into Gaza, as he toured the Rafah crossing and the Egyptian Red Crescent’s aid warehouses.

November 12th 2026, 3:42 pm

‘All-out war’: UK sports fear an uncertain future after new body created

Sport | The Guardian

• Creation of Sport Org sparks disquiet at governing bodies

• Smaller sports concerned they might be taken over

The leaders of Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic sports have been responsible for some of the country’s greatest successes over the past two decades. But there are changes afoot that are increasingly ruffling feathers and stoking fears.

Most people will not have heard of Sport Org, the organisation recently set up by UK Sport. Essentially, it evolved out of British Curling, and now uses its leaders and expertise across curling, para-curling, para table tennis, squash and, from 2030, bobsleigh and skeleton.

November 12th 2026, 2:10 am

Stephen Curry attacks treatment of women after former players criticize wife Ayesha’s movie kiss

Sport | The Guardian

• Warriors star defends wife over romantic comedy role

• Arenas called Ayesha ‘only blemish’ on Curry family

• Four-time NBA champion condemns double standards

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has criticized several ex-professional athletes for questioning his wife Ayesha’s decision to appear in a romantic comedy featuring an on-screen kiss, accusing them of diminishing her accomplishments and perpetuating double standards about women.

The four-time NBA champion posted a 90-second video on Instagram on Wednesday in response to comments by former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young, as well as former NFL players Emmanuel Acho and LeSean McCoy, following the release of Ayesha Curry’s new film, Second Chance Holiday.

November 12th 2026, 12:56 am

Pat Cummins can end sandpaper saga with full disclosure of what players knew – not what they didn’t

Sport | The Guardian

Australia captain can confront ball tampering scandal with transparency about former team environment and how its members made their choices

In March 2018, Steve Smith was handed a shit sandwich by Cricket Australia. Smith had helped in its preparation, as captain of an Australia team whose ball tampering experiments on their tour of South Africa had got out of control, but it was always questionable that CA limited the blame to Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. Usman Khawaja’s recent revelations have added context that Smith adamantly took the fall to spare others. It is not in truth good leadership to perpetuate a lie, but Smith would reasonably have believed that his first job was to protect his men. Sometimes, you just have to tuck in.

Eight-and-a-half years later, current Test captain Pat Cummins has been handed a shit sandwich of his own. This one is in the form of Khawaja’s book, detailing the 2018 team’s widespread acceptance of ball tampering. Khawaja got to enjoy his full playing career before this reveal, which has denied the same luxury to active players Cummins, Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. That doesn’t make Khawaja’s actions wrong. It’s a miracle the stitched-up version of events lasted this long. From day one, nobody involved had the courage to simply speak the whole truth. That’s the sole reason this saga continues.

November 12th 2026, 12:56 am

Svitolina stays in WTA Finals hunt after remarkable fightback sees off Muchova

Sport | The Guardian

• Ukrainian wins 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 after eight-minute timeout

• Andreeva beats Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 to top Group B

Elina Svitolina staged a remarkable comeback to beat Karolina Muchova and remain in the hunt for the WTA Finals title.

The Ukrainian looked to be on her way out of Indian Wells when she was a set down and required an eight-minute medical timeout. But she recovered to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 and stay in with a chance of reaching the semi-finals.

November 12th 2026, 12:56 am

US withdraw from U-17 World Cup in Qatar due to safety concerns

Sport | The Guardian

• USSF cites state department advisory about Qatar

• Competition set to kick off in eight days

The US men’s national team have pulled out of the Fifa U-17 World Cup, which is due to kick off in Qatar in just over a week. In a letter sent to players explaining the decision, the US Soccer Federation cited safety concerns for players and staff, referring them to the US state department’s travel advisory for Qatar, which encourages citizens to reconsider travel to the country “due to risk of armed conflict” and asks government employees to obtain special authorization to do so.

“Unfortunately, in light of current circumstances … we are no longer able to participate in the tournament,” US Soccer’s letter to players reads. “The wellbeing of our players and staff will always be our top priority.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

England return to site of Ashes angst but Australia gaze stuck on sandpaper

Sport | The Guardian

White-ball tour begins in Perth on Friday but there is only one story in Australian cricket and the tourists are not it

It feels like five minutes since England were last in pristine Perth, preparing – or rather under-preparing – to win back the Ashes, only for their glass jaw to be shattered by the flashing blade of Travis Head and a two-day defeat at Optus Stadium. But 12 months on, the mood is much changed.

Beyond the fact this is merely a white-ball tour – three one-day internationals starting on Friday, followed by five Twenty20s – England’s main character energy has seemingly evaporated. Brendon McCullum is still the head coach in limited-overs cricket but no one is talking about “Bazball” or trying to sell it as some kind of sequel.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

Meeting of two lost souls: can Pochettino make it work at Manchester United? | Barney Ronay

Sport | The Guardian

Manager has been hurt by experiences at elite clubs but several players at Old Trafford could fit his playing style

Welcome, Mauricio, to the meat grinder. Or rather, welcome back. We’ve been expecting you. There is nothing surprising in the news Manchester United may be on the verge of appointing Mauricio Pochettino. United are always on the verge of appointing Pochettino. This is a club that has spent 13 years hiring and firing the same structurally doomed manager – same shellshocked eyes, same irresolvable macro-problems – and the last eight years almost but not quite doing this to Pochettino.

Well, maybe we’re finally here. Maybe he just needed to be broken enough to make it fit. And who knows, perhaps there is even a kind of accidental synergy here.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

‘I’ve had to prove people wrong’: Kane still striving before record England cap

Sport | The Guardian

• Captain to surpass Shilton with 126th cap against Croatia

• Kane aims to increase record for younger players to catch

Harry Kane says he still feels a pressure to prove his worth, even as he prepares to become England’s most capped men’s player, as he outlined his determination to set records that will stand for years.

The captain will make his 126th appearance against Croatia at ­Wembley on Thursday night, moving him ahead of Peter Shilton on the all-time list. Kane is England’s record ­goalscorer with 91, comfortably clear of Wayne Rooney, who retired with 53.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

Top four teams in Fifa rankings set to be kept apart until semi-finals at 2027 Women’s World Cup

Sport | The Guardian

• Team must win World Cup group to trigger rule

• Spain, US, Germany and England currently in top four

The top four ranked teams will be separated until the semi-finals at the 2027 Women’s World Cup, ­provided they each win their group, after a change to the tournament’s draw procedure was confirmed by Fifa.

Spain, USA, Germany and England are ranked one to four in the world respectively, although USA and England still need to qualify for the tournament. The seedings will be based on the 7 December updated rankings, meaning the standings could change before the draw, which will take place on 11 December in Rio de Janeiro.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

Complaint filed to IRS in relation to Fifa head Gianni Infantino’s housekeeper

Sport | The Guardian

• It calls for inquiry into claims she was on Fifa payroll

• Fifa: Infantino personally pays for ‘any domestic staff’

A complaint has been filed to the United States Internal Revenue Service calling for an investigation into claims an individual on the Fifa payroll was working privately as a housekeeper for Gianni Infantino.

If the IRS investigates and finds the claims to be proven then Fifa could lose its tax-exempt status in the US. Fifa has 501(c)(4) status in the country, a category for organisations “created to promote community welfare for charitable, educational or recreational purposes”.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

Eddie Jones retains his passion and divisive power heading into England reunion

Sport | The Guardian

Japan head coach was criticised for discarding players harshly during his Red Rose tenure but that tough love has paid off for some

To listen to Eddie Jones chewing the fat on assorted podcasts this week is to admire the enduring thickness of his coaching skin. The old crocodile smile is still intact too, along with his sense of humour after an interaction in a lift with a fan after his Japan side’s 28-21 weekend defeat in Cardiff. As Jones later confided: “This Welsh bloke came up to me and said: ‘You almost look human with your glasses on.’”

Next up is a reunion with a few former friends – and foes – at Twickenham. While it is now almost four years since Jones was sacked by the Rugby Football Union, there remain mixed emotions on both sides. Those relieved to see him go in late 2022 will certainly not be too brokenhearted if there is a similar outcome to the last time a Jones-coached Japan came to Allianz Stadium two years ago and lost 59-14.

November 11th 2026, 5:48 pm

‘An eternal shame’: Bilic and Croatia aim to use 7-0 humbling as fuel against England

Sport | The Guardian

The home humiliation last month has left a scar on Croatian football but their manager wants them to use it to positive effect in the Wembley rematch

As Croatia prepare to face England at Wembley on Thursday in the Nations League, wounds from a humiliating defeat by the same opponents just over a month ago are fresh and there is a lingering feeling of unease.

No one will say it – certainly not Slaven Bilic, who always believes in goals that may seem unreachable to most others – but the impression is that Croatia would be satisfied to accept another defeat, provided it was gentle enough by score and hard-fought by approach; that this game is not so much about the points as the (self-)respect they can regain.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

Danny Kelly, football broadcaster and renowned editor, dies aged 69

Sport | The Guardian

• Danny Baker pays tribute to the ‘funniest man I knew’

• Kelly was former editor of the NME and Q magazines

The journalist and broadcaster Danny Kelly, who helped define coverage of music and football in the UK for a generation, has died at the age of 69.

Kelly edited the NME and Q Magazine and launched the Football 365 website before going on to be a presenter and pundit on the BBC and TalkSport. He had been receiving treatment for oesophageal cancer.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

Manchester United reach framework deal with Pochettino before settling Carrick’s fate

Sport | The Guardian

• Pochettino wants to leave USA role for United

• United board meeting scheduled for Wednesday

Manchester United have a framework agreement with Mauricio Pochettino for him to become their head coach if Michael Carrick is sacked. Carrick is expected to be fired in line with the recommendation from Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and Omar Berrada, the chief executive, to Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Pochettino is the US men’s national team head coach and in August signed a contract to 2030 but he wants the United job after managing in the Premier League with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

Bethell faces fitness race for South Africa Tests after being ruled out of Australia tour

Sport | The Guardian

• All-rounder sent back to UK with swelling on knee

• South Africa Test series begins on 17 December

Jacob Bethell is battling to be fit for England’s Test series in South Africa next month after being ruled out of the white-ball tour of Australia.

The 23-year-old underwent surgery on his right knee at the end of August and while he was not expected to be ready for the one-day internationals that start in Perth on Friday, it was hoped he would feature in the Twenty20s that follow.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

League One clubs aim for further curbs on spending as budgets continue to spiral

Sport | The Guardian

• Wage bills in third tier have increased by 15% this season

• ‘Luxury tax’ and three-year limits on losses considered

League One clubs want to introduce new spending restrictions to reduce losses by limiting investment from owners.

Clubs in the division voted to tighten the rules last summer by reducing spending limits from 60% to 50% of turnover, and removed a staggered approach to owner investment, so that only 50% of equity injections can be spent on squad costs, with the rest assigned to infrastructure projects. Less than six months later many want to go further.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

The Spin | Farewell Dennis Breakwell, Somerset stalwart and mentor to generations of cricketers

Sport | The Guardian

Left-arm spinner who has died aged 78 played alongside Ian Botham and Viv Richards in county’s glory days, experience he passed on to Jos Buttler and many others

Away from the bright lights and the hungry eye of television, cricket unfolds as it has always done, with a quiet welcoming handshake across the generations. Dennis Breakwell was the quintessence of that.

Breakwell died this week at the age of 78, after a 15-year career as a slow left-arm bowler at Northamptonshire and Somerset, and more than 20 years as a groundsman and coach at King’s College Taunton. There he cut the grass, watched, and became a touchstone for generations of young cricketers passing through the school, including Jos Buttler.

This is an extract from the Guardian’s weekly cricket email, The Spin. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

Jockey Tom O’Brien, Cheltenham festival winner, dies aged 39

Sport | The Guardian

• O’Brien rode more than 1,000 winners over jumps

• ‘Tom meant so much to so many people across our sport’

Tom O’Brien, who rode more than 1,000 winners over jumps including five Grade Ones and two at the Cheltenham festival, has died at the age of 39 after being diagnosed with cancer.

O’Brien, who retired from race riding in April 2023, had a close association with Philip Hobbs’s stable near Minehead throughout his 20-year career in the saddle and enjoyed his most prestigious Grade One victories aboard Hobbs’s Thyme Hill in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Aintree in April 2021 and the Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton in December 2022.

November 11th 2026, 11:28 am

Which football club has had most international captains in the same team? | The Knowledge

Sport | The Guardian

Plus: more speedy marathons by footballers, headed goals of the season and chairs acting as managers

• Mail us with all of your questions and answers

“Which club team has had the most international captains playing together at one time?” asks MH Zahid. “Conversely, which international team has had the most club captains in its starting lineup at one time?”

A quick web search finds a fuss being made in various corners of the internet of Chelsea’s 2009-10 squad because it contained six national team captains in Michael Ballack (Germany), Petr Cech (Czech Republic), Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire), Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia), Mikel John Obi (Nigeria) and John Terry (England). These are, indeed, six people who captained their countries, playing together at one time, but crucially they were not all international captains at that time, which because we like to have our hands bound as tight as possible – no questions please – mean they are disqualified from this particular tournament. Ivanovic, you see, was not named Serbia captain until 2012 and Mikel, who was but a whippersnapper at 22 when the 2009-10 season started, was still seven years from getting his hands on the Nigeria armband.

November 11th 2026, 3:25 am

Is No 10 still the best, or No 41? The myths and maths of Premier League shirt numbers

Sport | The Guardian

While No 9s still score the most goals and No 1s try to stop them, trends have changed since the introduction of squad numbers in the early 1990s

How much is a shirt number worth? It costs £8 if you want two digits added to the back of Arsenal’s 2026-27 home shirt, whereas Manchester City add on £16 for customisation, whether you want a name as well as a number or not.

That is cheap compared to what baseball players decide among themselves. Juan Soto bought Brett Baty a $92,000 (£69,000) car in exchange for getting his preferred number (22) when he joined the New York Mets last year. But that’s baseball, where they allow players to wear ‘0’. Anything goes.

November 11th 2026, 3:25 am

Bone broth, sweets ban and acupuncture: Harry Kane’s road to record England cap

Sport | The Guardian

Obsessive attention to detail is helping striker to reach new heights – and a 126th international appearance on Thursday

It was Harry Kane’s dirty little secret. Something the England captain got up to after matches. He felt he deserved the indulgence. Yes, it can be revealed, Kane loved to reward himself after a gruelling 90 minutes with a bag of sweets. “I do like a Haribo,” he said with a smile after the Nations League win against Czechia in Prague at the end of September.

No more. At the beginning of last season, Kane took the decision to cut out the naughty treats. After a while, he noticed a difference. He felt sharper; able to sprint more, make a greater number of accelerations. Was it down to this latest entry on the list of personal sacrifices? Or was it a consequence of his broader health regime, the scope of which is mind-blowing?

November 11th 2026, 2:43 am

NFL trade deadline: Kirk Cousins returns to Vikings as Raiders hand starting job to Fernando Mendoza

Sport | The Guardian

• Minnesota acquire veteran quarterback for 2027 pick

• Cousins returns to Vikings after six seasons with team

• No 1 pick Mendoza set to make first NFL start

• NFL trade deadline 2026 – as it happened

Kirk Cousins is heading back to Minnesota.

The Vikings have acquired the veteran quarterback from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 draft, according to multiple reports, including from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

November 11th 2026, 12:59 am

Fujino’s double sparks WCL comeback win for Manchester City against Inter

Sport | The Guardian

On a very satisfying night for Manchester City, perhaps the most pleasing element was that they did not even need to call on Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw.

While giving their talismanic striker some precious rest, Manchester City’s European campaign finally came roaring into life as they put four goals past Inter to record their first Women’s Champions League victory of the season and greatly improve their prospects of reaching the knockout stages.

November 11th 2026, 12:59 am

Cricket Australia wants to move on from ball tampering saga but its equivocation has the opposite ef

Sport | The Guardian

The interminable sandpaper scandal will drag on to the next press conference, social media post or book, until it festers into something much bigger than it needs to be

There are some stories that you look back on and wonder whether we lost our collective minds. In Australia, 2018 was not a good year for banking executives, for prime ministers, for oily lord mayors and for cardinals. But the greatest betrayal of trust apparently concerned our national cricket team. There was public bawling, righteous indignation, weasel words and sanctimonious pieties. Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, flanked by a doleful Angus Taylor and a nodding firefighter, called it a “terrible disgrace”. “They now have to make sure this great national game, this great international game that is synonymous with fair play, is once again played by champions that everybody can look up to.”

Turnbull was more of a sailing man anyway. His parliamentary tenure was the political equivalent of Graeme Hick’s cricket career. By the time he’d been punted from office four months later, the Australian cricket team was being reimagined. The Ethics Centre’s 116-page document used the “Everest Process” to ascertain Cricket Australia’s alignment with its ethical framework. There were lots of charts asking how well CA was adhering to this value or that. “Mostly not lived”, “sometimes lived” and “always lived” were some of the measures. One could have saved a lot of time, money and paper and simply concluded “don’t be a prick, don’t bark like a dog when an opponent is dismissed, and don’t shove sandpaper down your dacks”.

November 11th 2026, 12:59 am

Usman Khawaja bunkers down as book tour ‘adjusted’ amid ball-tampering claims

Sport | The Guardian

• Book tour will still go ahead but with changes this week’s schedule

• Khawaja evasive when questioned on ABC’s 7:30 Report

Usman Khawaja’s promotional book tour has been subject to “adjustments” after the former Australia Test batter was grilled about certain claims on the ABC’s 7.30 Report.

Khawaja pulled out of some radio and television spots on Wednesday, with his publisher Penguin saying that while the tour had not been cancelled entirely, changes had been made to his schedule this week.

November 11th 2026, 12:59 am

NFL trade deadline 2026: Vikings reunite with Kirk Cousins in blockbuster, Bengals-Eagles deal colla

Sport | The Guardian

• All the latest news and deals before the today’s deadline

• Vikings reunite with QB Kirk Cousins in deal with Vegas

• Niners add WR Keenan Allen; Bills land S Amani Hooker

• Follow the buildup to the 4pm ET cutoff and fallout

• Email Bryan with your thoughts on the deadline moves

In NFL-adjacent news:

Jordon Hudson is suing two Airbnb hosts over a Ring doorbell camera video of a shirtless Bill Belichick. Hudson says that the 2023 clip invaded her privacy by prompting public disclosure of her relationship with the former Patriots coach.

November 10th 2026, 3:28 pm

F1 presses ahead with plan to hold season finale in Middle East despite safety concerns

Sport | The Guardian

• Imola stood down as back-up plan to finish the year

• Qatar and Abu Dhabi races set to go ahead as planned

Imola has been stood down as a back-up plan for the Formula One season finale as the sport pushes ahead with its scheduled Middle East races.

The Italian venue, 20 miles from Bologna, was lined up to replace Abu Dhabi as the final race amid concern over the ongoing conflict in the region.

November 10th 2026, 3:28 pm

Will Joseph poised to audition for leading role against Japan in Feyi-Waboso’s absence

Sport | The Guardian

• England require back-line reshuffle after several injuries

• Kevin Sinfield says collaboration with clubs will be key

England need to find a talented understudy for their injured star winger Manny Feyi-Waboso and are poised to invite Gloucester’s Will Joseph to audition for a leading role against Japan on Saturday. The latter was a travelling reserve for last weekend’s Australia game and appears set for a Test recall four years after being given his debut by the current Brave Blossoms coach Eddie Jones.

The 24-year-old Joseph, whose brother Jonathan was a regular in England’s midfield for years, has been in outstanding club form and, as things stand, seems likely to feature in some capacity with injuries forcing Steve Borthwick to reconsider the backline blend that prospered against the Wallabies.

November 10th 2026, 3:28 pm

Mauricio Pochettino interested in leaving USMNT job for Manchester United

Sport | The Guardian

• Coach’s contract has release clause of about $10m

• United expected to sack Michael Carrick after awful start

US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino is interested in a move to Manchester United, multiple sources told the Guardian, with those same sources characterizing the interest as mutual.

United are expected to sack their head coach, Michael Carrick, after a disastrous start to their season which leaves them at risk of relegation from the Premier League, their worst opening to a campaign in four decades.

November 10th 2026, 3:28 pm

Inter v Manchester City: Women’s Champions League – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Women’s Champions League updates, 8pm GMT kick-off

• Live scores | Table | Kerstin Casparij interview | Mail Billy

Final scores in the early kick-offs:

Häcken 0-0 Chelsea

Real Madrid 3-0 Paris FC (Caruso 55, Beerensteyn 65, Caicedo 81)

November 10th 2026, 3:28 pm

Six Nations and Sanzaar face new battle with World Rugby in bid to scrap relegation

Sport | The Guardian

• F10 unions fear financial loss if they play in second tier

• Promotion/relegation set for 2030 Nations Championship

The Six Nations and Sanzaar are facing another battle with World Rugby over a desire from some unions to ensure that none of them can be relegated from the Nations Championship.

As reported last week by the Guardian, the 10 leading unions have set up a new company, F10, to run the Nations Championship and sell their broadcast and commercial rights for all competitions other than the World Cup, which remains the property of the global governing body, World Rugby.

November 10th 2026, 10:56 am

Crystal Palace could avoid significant compensation if Pierre Sage rejoins Lens

Sport | The Guardian

• Sage’s exit from Premier League club still not confirmed

• Manager’s potential return to France could benefit Palace

Crystal Palace could avoid having to pay Pierre Sage significant compensation if he is re-appointed by former club Lens, with the Frenchman’s departure from Selhurst Park still yet to be confirmed.

The decision to sack Sage was made on Sunday evening after Palace slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Liverpool. It was their fourth successive loss in the Premier League and left them bottom of the table for the first time since 2017.

November 10th 2026, 10:56 am

Hot mics, Andreeva ‘diva’ drama and a stopgap finale at Indian Wells bail out the WTA | Tumaini Car

Sport | The Guardian

Finals have hit California desert after stormy few years and pre-tournament kerfuffle has added to the fun

Towards the end of a positive day for Mirra Andreeva, one of the brightest young stars of women’s tennis, the 19-year-old approached the broadcast cameras to dissect her excellent 6-4, 6-0 win over Elina Svitolina in her first match at this year’s WTA Finals. Andreeva took her place alongside Madison Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion and a guest reporter for Sky Sports at Indian Wells, who greeted her with a mischievous smile: “Hey, diva!” Keys said.

This was an obvious reference to the kerfuffle on the eve of the tournament, when Jessica Pegula, usually known as one of the most congenial players on the tour, had been caught on a hot mic delivering a series of stinging criticisms about Andreeva in a private conversation with her coach. Pegula, who had just finished a practice set with an angsty Andreeva, described her rival as a “diva” who “needs to be humbled”. Her comments instantly spread to all corners of the internet.

November 10th 2026, 10:56 am

Felix Nmecha denies goal celebrations promote ‘intolerance, discrimination and hate’

Sport | The Guardian

• Celebrations linked to ultra-conservative Christian group

• ‘Our message is of love’ Nmecha says in reply to criticism

Borussia Dortmund and Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha has responded to criticism of goal celebrations linked to an evangelical network by saying they’ve been misunderstood and are not meant to promote “intolerance, discrimination, or hate in any form.”

Nmecha, a devout Christian, was criticised by the Dortmund official supporters’ group at the weekend for celebrating goals with a gesture signifying the “The King’s Return” campaign linked to Ballers in God (BIG), a network of Christian football players. The German public broadcaster ARD has linked BIG to ultra-conservative positions on issues including homosexuality and transgender identity.

November 10th 2026, 6:56 am

War has upended Russian-Nordic friendships forged on Arctic ice hockey rinks. Can they ever recover?

Sport | The Guardian

Ban on Russian teams competing internationally has been lifted but days of friendly relations between Norwegian, Finnish and Russia players are a distant – if fond – memory

For years, playing ice hockey against teams from Russia was a central part of Janne Tervahauta’s social life.

Through his team, Tunturi-Kiekko, based in Ivalo, a rural Arctic town close to Finland’s most northerly border crossing with Russia, he would travel around the Arctic with his teammates. But the Barents Hockey League went on hold during the pandemic, and after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, all contact with Russia was stopped.

November 10th 2026, 6:56 am

David Squires on … You Can MUFC Everything

Sport | The Guardian

Our cartoonist takes us behind the scenes as Manchester United’s leading minds try to control the narrative

• Buy a cartoon | Some of David’s favourite works

• And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now

November 10th 2026, 6:56 am

The Breakdown | Prendergast to Pollock via Paris: winners and losers from rugby’s ultimate weekender

Sport | The Guardian

A 72-hour TV blizzard was a test of sofa stamina as Ireland and England shone while South Africa looked ominous

By Sunday night one question swamped all else. When does a diet of endless televised rugby become too much of a good thing? People are well used to three consecutive Six Nations games on “Super Saturday” but the weekend was on a whole new level. It must have ranked among the most relentless 72-hour blizzards of rugby broadcasting in the game’s history.

The Breakdown, naturally, was keen to get among it. Friday night’s Ireland v Argentina game on ITV had its moments, happily, although not as many as England A v Argentina on YouTube. On Saturday, with South Africa 45-0 up against Italy by half-time, there was a case for covering the screen with a Turin shroud. Either way it was time for the haka in Murrayfield before Scotland v New Zealand, subsequently interspersed with an absorbing Champ game between Cornish Pirates and Richmond on Clubber TV.

November 10th 2026, 6:56 am

Rui Pinto’s lawyers in talks with UK authorities over cooperation deal for whistleblower

Sport | The Guardian

• Serious Fraud Office has contacted Pinto

• He is willing to assist in exchange for protection

Rui Pinto’s lawyers are in talks with British authorities over a potential cooperation agreement under which the Manchester City whistleblower could help to expose serious financial and sporting crime in the UK.

According to information obtained by the Guardian, the Serious Fraud Office has contacted Pinto after it emerged he was willing to assist British authorities with their investigations in exchange for protection.

November 10th 2026, 6:56 am

Wilcox and Berrada poised to tell Ratcliffe in Monaco that Carrick should be sacked

Sport | The Guardian

• Manchester United executives to settle head coach’s fate

• Mauricio Pochettino a strong candidate to take over

Manchester United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, are expected to meet Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Tuesday and recommend the sacking of Michael Carrick.

Wilcox and Berrada have come to the conclusion that the 45-year-old should be removed as head coach after analysing his and the team’s performance.

November 10th 2026, 5:10 am

Ultimate 1-50: the male footballers best associated with each squad number

Sport | The Guardian

Who is football’s most legendary No 9? Has there ever been a legendary No 28? And why exactly does Mario Balotelli love wearing No 45 so much? Here’s our list and the stories behind it

The relationship between players and numbers is a long-established one filled with memories and fascinating as well as fun stories behind them. With that in mind, the Guardian has had a go at deciding which male player is best associated with each squad number, from 1-50. Various factors were taken into consideration, including how long a player wore/has worn that number, what they achieved/have achieved in it, why they decided to wear it in the first place and, in some cases, how distinctly it has become associated with them in death. The below list is highly subjective and ultimately a bit of fun, but don’t let that stop you being shocked and furious in equal measure.

***

November 10th 2026, 3:12 am

Manchester City’s Kerstin Casparij: ‘I love football – but it takes over your life’

Sport | The Guardian

Dutch full-back on relief of winning the Double and needing a ‘sense of normality’ while in the spotlight

Kerstin Casparij loves football, especially Champions League nights under the lights, but perspective is important too. “I would say football is my most important secondary thing in life, and I’ve found that such a refreshing way of looking at it,” she says before Manchester City’s trip to Milan to face Inter on Tuesday.

“It is so important to me and I love it so much and if I lose I’m going to have a terrible day, but my family’s healthy, my friends are healthy, I am, and I don’t have to worry about anything; I don’t have to worry about getting the food on the table. Being able to see things from that perspective makes it so much easier to stay the person I’ve always been.”

November 10th 2026, 3:12 am

Liberals like Messi but authoritarians prefer Ronaldo: how politics shapes sporting choices | Sean I

Sport | The Guardian

Sport has long been regarded as great unifier but there is evidence that this era of hyper-partisanship may change that

Over the weekend, President Trump floated his latest wild idea: that the man behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Power Slap, the ethically dubious “sport” where competitors take turns smacking each other with an open palm, could be his new White House press secretary.

Trump’s post on Truth Social was about as subtle as a slap to the face. He Trump wanted the UFC chief executive, Dana White, whom he hailed as a “violent Fighter and Warrior”, to take the job. And for six of his fighters to join him “to defend us against the Lunatic Left”. But it also carried a certain logic. The UFC is Maga’s sport of choice. Why couldn’t it also be its praetorian guard?

November 10th 2026, 3:12 am

Manchester’s soulless content machine football clubs sum up post-imperial Britain | Barney Ronay

Sport | The Guardian

United and City dominate the news cycle with stories so strange and vast they threaten to consume the rest of the league

In Manchester this weekend it was possible to bookend your Thursday‑to‑Sunday entertainment with two cultural events. First up, a debut screening of the re‑released and uncensored Ken Russell film The Devils at Trafford Odeon. And three days later, three miles down the road, Manchester United versus Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

As expected, one of these events provided a visceral cinematic experience, a deeply disturbing two-hour public meditation on the meaning of faith, blood, fear, power, ritual and the fetishising of objects, climaxing in an orgiastic crowd scene of depraved but undeniably erotic abandon, all acted out on a set in a state of glorious and performative ruin. And the other one was a film with Oliver Reed in it.

November 10th 2026, 12:47 am