Australia v Fiji: men’s Rugby League World Cup – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Updates as the Kangaroos and Fiji Bati meet at Suncorp Stadium

• Kick-off time in Brisbane is 7.05pm local/8.05pm AEDT/9.05am GMT

• Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email

1. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Waqa Blake 4. Solomone Saukuru 5. Semi Valemei 6. Kurt Donoghoe 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Apisai Koroisau (c) 10. Mitchell Prest 11. Taane Milne 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Caleb Navale

Interchange: 14. Josese Lanyon 15. Emosi Ravosai 16. Elijah Keung 17. Ronald Philitoga 18. Jordin Leiu 19. Apenisa Driti

October 25th 2026, 4:28 am

Carrick denies Manchester United are ‘unmanageable’, clásico buildup and more – matchday live

Sport | The Guardian

⚽️ News before the 2pm GMT Premier League fixtures
⚽️ How they stand | Fixtures | Mail John

Saturday’s Premier League action, all our reports collected here.

When Michael Carrick was asked if he can trust the players to deliver against Bournemouth at Old Trafford given the last week, under-pressure Carrick said: “I definitely trust them, yeah, 100 per cent I trust them. It wasn’t a very good night at all for so many reasons. We all know that. I think that’s pretty obvious. I definitely trust them, yeah. I trust them. We’ll be a different team on Sunday. We have to be a different team on Sunday.”

October 25th 2026, 4:28 am

Ballon d’Or ceremony returns to England in nod to ‘revolutionary’ Stanley Matthews

Sport | The Guardian

Matthews’ family ‘very excited’ as London Palladium hosts event 70 years after first award at Blackpool town hall

When football’s dignitaries assemble on Monday at the London Palladium for the Ballon d’Or ceremony it will be a far cry from the first awards 70 years ago. That was held in the slightly less glamorous surroundings of Blackpool town hall, where Stanley Matthews was presented with the prize by Gabriel Hanot, the visionary editor of L’Équipe who came up with the idea of crowning the world’s best player every year.

A specially commissioned china plate was also handed over by the town’s mayor before the 41-year-old Matthews, who was famously teetotal, gave a short speech. “He might have had a double carrot juice that day,” says his son, Stanley Matthews Jr, who will attend this year’s awards with his sister, Jean, and her two daughters. “There was no ceremony. ‘Here’s your Ballon d’Or, well done’, sort of thing. But obviously it’s grown over the years, and now it’s a huge event. We’re very excited.”

October 25th 2026, 4:28 am

Ian Holloway’s circus: why the manager’s outbursts are no laughing matter for fans

Sport | The Guardian

Swindon manager has a history of viral outbursts but fans want a united club and manager they can support

In Ian Holloway’s often madcap managerial orbit, this was simply the latest in a steady succession of eccentric outbursts. Eyes bulging as he spoke, he boomed the letter “D” and promptly stabbed himself in the chest with an imaginary dagger. Next came the letter “M” alongside a blow from another invisible knife. Finally, a “W” followed by a jab to the heart. “Dead. Man. Walking,” he declared, pausing for effect between words and briefly falling into an Oscar-worthy zombie stupor. “That’s how it feels.”

To an offbeat press conference genre containing seagulls following trawlers and self-proclaimed special ones, it was a crazy new entry worthy of its subsequent viral nature. Holloway at his finest.

October 25th 2026, 4:28 am

Glitch in Chelsea’s coding costs Alonso while resurgent Spurs are all systems go | Barney Ronay

Sport | The Guardian

Home side broke the game open with some unique corner routines, but a goalkeeping error ruined the plan

There was an odd interlude at Stamford Bridge with 76 minutes gone and the score still 0-0, one of those moments where suddenly your brain seems to be on inside out, like trying to walk the wrong way down an escalator.

Tottenham had a corner on the left-hand side, in a game that had felt to that point like an extended practice session, a refinement of systems, the football equivalent of watching two middle-aged men methodically emptying the dishwasher, adding salt, descaling the hoses, tutting over knives incorrectly slotted, cups in the wrong row.

October 25th 2026, 4:28 am

Inglorious end as rain cancels final MotoGP race at Phillip Island in setback for Márquez

Sport | The Guardian

• Treacherous conditions put end to nearly three decades at venue

• Australian race will relocate to Melbourne street circuit next year

Marc Márquez was denied the chance to stretch his world championship lead over injured Jorge Martin with the last Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island cancelled due to treacherous conditions.

Organisers pulled the plug despite a sell-out crowd with persistent rain and poor visibility making racing unsafe. The Moto3 and Moto2 races were also called off. “Limited visibility has resulted in the cancellation of the Australian MotoGP,” organisers said.

October 25th 2026, 4:00 am

Pakistan v England: tri-series one day international cricket – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Live ODI cricket updates from 8am GMT

• Sri Lanka stun England with second-highest ODI chase

• You can email Daniel | Sign up for The Spin

Mark Butcher is touching the surface now.

Looks a road. But what do I know? The last time England played here they failed to defend 352 against Australia.

October 25th 2026, 4:00 am

Kimi Antonelli seizes F1 US GP pole and chance to seal first world title

Sport | The Guardian

• Antonelli has 102-point lead over George Russell

• Needs to be 125 points in front after Sunday’s race

Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for the US Grand Prix with a hugely impressive lap for Mercedes at the Circuit of the Americas. In beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen into second place, Antonelli did exactly what was required to give him the chance to close out his first world championship title this weekend.

Isack Hadjar did well to secure third for Red Bull, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in fourth and fifth for Ferrari, and Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell in sixth.

October 24th 2026, 8:03 pm

Alonso urges Cole Palmer ‘to learn’ from red card in Chelsea’s defeat to Spurs

Sport | The Guardian

• Forward sent off after 80 minutes for second yellow card

• ‘We need to have maturity to deal with difficult moments’

Xabi Alonso said that Cole Palmer must learn from his red card during Chelsea’s shock 2-0 defeat to Tottenham, who claimed their first win at Stamford Bridge since 2018 thanks to an own goal from Mike Penders and a late effort from Mathys Tel.

Spurs, who had won on one of their previous 34 trips to west London, were already 1-0 up when Palmer earned a second yellow card for catching Conor Gallagher with a late tackle. The playmaker could have been sent off earlier – his first booking came during a clash with Mateus Fernandes – and Alonso agreed that this could be an important lesson for the 24-year-old.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Maresca ‘not worried’ by Guéhi’s gaffes as Aston Villa end City’s flawless start

Sport | The Guardian

• Defender costs three goals in past two league matches

• Emery praises ‘fantastic’ match-winner Jackson

Enzo Maresca is not concerned by the form of Marc Guéhi despite the defender costing his side three goals in the past two Premier League matches, the Manchester City manager said after seeing his side lose in the league for the first time this season.

Nicolas Jackson’s double earned Aston Villa a 2-1 victory at Villa Park after Guéhi was unable to control the ball for the opener. Instead he spilled it into the path of John McGinn, who played it to Jackson, allowing him to score the first of two goals. The defender was then substituted at half-time having been booked on 32 minutes. Guéhi’s errors allowed Ipswich to score twice against City last weekend.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Relief for Slegers as Russo rescues Arsenal against Tottenham in WSL

Sport | The Guardian

Alessia Russo’s contentious second-half penalty delivered relief, a reprieve and a chance for a reset as Arsenal came from a goal down to earn their second win of the WSL season in the north London derby.

At a rain-lashed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Gunners were again their own worst enemy, forced to come from behind after Cathinka Tandberg’s headed opener. Georgia Stanway levelled and Russo powered in the penalty that gave them the lead they protected defiantly.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Leicester turn up the hostility as Steward caps old-time beating of Northampton

Sport | The Guardian

• Leicester 28-7 Northampton

• Hosts score four unanswered tries after interval

We have seen this before. It is easy to forget, amid all the tries and sunshine, that rugby has a darker side too: a wet, windy, deafening ferocity that not even the most twinkle-toed can transcend. And they practically invented it here.

This is not the first time Leicester have welcomed their beloved neighbours to the lair as champions and disabused them of any notions of grandeur. It took the Tigers 40 minutes to whip themselves into the necessary fervour, but when they did, all else followed: the rocking stadium at capacity, the win, the bonus point, the obliterated opposition.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Clinical Arsenal earn precious win against Everton thanks to Konsa and Gabriel

Sport | The Guardian

The wait goes on for David Moyes. The 63-year-old Scot must have been hoping that on his 14th visit to this stadium as Everton’s manager, his luck would change. Yet from the moment Ezri Konsa slammed home his first goal for Arsenal as the Premier League champions rediscovered their knack of scoring from set pieces, the writing was on the wall.

While it took until midway through the second half for Gabriel Magalhães to make sure of the victory, Arsenal were never going to let slip the chance of moving level on points at the top with Manchester City after their defeat by Aston Villa earlier in the day.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

United States Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli takes pole – live

Sport | The Guardian

️ Updates from Austin; start 10pm BST, 4pm local
️ Giles Richards’ preview | Mail Philip

Davidson then runs us through Hamilton’s FP3 best, which is the fastest legal lap anyone has had all weekend.

Anthony Davidson, right on cue on Sky, starts a track limits sequence – and the second driver he shows going over a white line is Antonelli.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

The sexual assault scandal rocked gymnastics – but has pace of change in the sport been too slow?

Sport | The Guardian

Former USA team doctor Larry Nassar’s 2018 conviction sparked a global reckoning in gymnastics, yet gymnasts say they are still being let down

It has been 10 years since the Indianapolis Star published allegations of sexual abuse by Larry Nassar, the former team doctor for USA Gymnastics, setting off a chain of events that would lead to a reckoning for the sport. Hundreds of women came forward with their own allegations against Nassar, who also worked at Michigan State University, leading to his conviction and jailing.

The exposure of his crimes sparked a wider investigation into how gymnastics had allowed predators to abuse young athletes around the world. While Nassar was the worst recorded case, it emerged many other countries had questions to answer about the failure to protect victims from not only sexual but physical and emotional abuse. But a decade later, on a large houseboat moored in Rotterdam three tram stops away from the Ahoy Arena, where the World Gymnastics Championships are taking place this week, survivors and advocates raised fears about the slow pace of change.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Fulham climb out of drop zone after Oscar Bobb’s late show sinks Coventry

Sport | The Guardian

Oscar Bobb’s first Premier League goal for Fulham earned a win against Coventry that lifted Álvaro Arbeloa’s side clear of the relegation zone.

Bobb produced a fine bit of individual skill to score in the 80th minute, twisting his way into the area and bending a shot into the far corner. It was his second goal for the club since his £27m move from Manchester City in January.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Winds of change are coming for Australia as selection storm brews in South Africa

Sport | The Guardian

Crushing defeat in second Test raises fresh questions about fragile batting lineup before Cape Town decider

The old adage that it is harder to get out of the Australia cricket team than into it is about to be put to the test. The horror show against South Africa in the second Test that ended in defeat for Australia by an innings and 31 runs exposed familiar fractures in the lineup that have less than a week between matches to be repaired.

The Australian selectors have shown in South Africa they are prepared to change a winning formula with the ball, while they have long been reluctant to cut ties with proven performers with the bat. But the first innings capitulation as Australia were all out for 99 in Gqeberha could force their hand to make a tough call or two – or perhaps more – as a selection storm brews before the series decider in Cape Town.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Why Stanley Matthews’ Ballon d’Or triumph echoes down the years for Harry Kane | Jonathan Wilson

Sport | The Guardian

In 1956, the Blackpool great was recognised for his force of individual will, the very thing that makes the Bayern and England striker the standout candiate

Systems football began in 1963 – on the hallowed turf of Wembley – with the impact of a cynical foul by Gino Pivatelli.

At that moment in the European Cup final, when the hard-working Milan forward, brought in to combat Benfica’s Mário Coluna, caught the great playmaker, football of the individual came to an end. The foul not only checked a promising break, but broke a bone in Coluna’s foot. Without substitutes, he hobbled on, diminished, and Milan won 2-1 to lift the trophy and register the first victory for a team that prioritised the system over the individual. Modern football was born.

October 24th 2026, 6:15 pm

Kimi Antonelli admits he can taste F1 glory after Verstappen wins Singapore GP

Sport | The Guardian

• Italian can win the title in Texas in late October

• Verstappen led race at Marina Bay from start to finish

Kimi Antonelli said he can finally dare to dream about winning his first Formula One world championship after he finished in third place at the Singapore Grand Prix and put himself in a position where he could secure the title at the next round in Austin.

Max Verstappen won with a dominant drive at the Marina Bay circuit but behind him, Antonelli’s podium means he could become F1’s youngest champion at the age of 20, in two weeks’ time. Antonelli leads his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, by 102 points and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by 111. With six meetings remaining and 25 points for the winner of each race, the Italian will take the title if he wins in Austin and Russell finishes ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Canelo Álvarez ‘fears nothing’ and will fight in Riyadh despite deadly attacks, Al-Sheikh says

Sport | The Guardian

• Álvarez vows to fight in Riyadh despite deadly strikes

• Airport attacks leave at least 12 dead, hundreds hurt

• Mexican seeks redemption after Crawford defeat

Canelo Álvarez intends to go ahead with his world title fight in Saudi Arabia later this month despite a series of deadly attacks on airports and other infrastructure in the kingdom, according to Turki al-Sheikh, the Saudi official who has become one of boxing’s most influential power brokers.

The Mexican superstar is slated to challenge the unbeaten Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight title in Riyadh on 31 October, three weeks after Saturday’s missile strike on the Saudi capital’s main international airport killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Taylor Knibb wins Ironman world title after leader collapses in dramatic Kona finish

Sport | The Guardian

• Knibb overtakes Norwegian rival in final kilometer

• Defending champion Løvseth collapses while leading

• France’s Vincent Luis wins men’s title on Kona debut

American triathlete Taylor Knibb has won her first Hawaiian Ironman world title after one of the most dramatic finishes in race history.

With a mile left, Norwegian defending champion Solveig Løvseth led Knibb by more than a minute and looked rock-solid, having taken the lead from her inside the final 10km of the 42.2km marathon run.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Cherki cracker caps Manchester City win at Liverpool in face of Anfield taunts

Sport | The Guardian

It is a soundtrack that Manchester City have heard before but never for such sustained spells during a match. It came from the Liverpool support, first ringing out around Anfield before kick-off and coming at regular intervals thereafter.

It was always going to be like this as City felt their way into a new reality, one conditioned by the guilty verdicts handed to them by an independent commission on virtually all of the 115 charges they have faced for breaking the Premier League’s financial rules. City maintain their innocence and have appealed.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Record-breaking quartet put Australia in full control against South Africa

Sport | The Guardian

• Australia 390 & 33-0; South Africa 284

• Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon share nine wickets

As a fractured news environment demonstrates, observations can be made from just about any perspective. One view of Australia’s Test team could focus on age, with the principal bowlers all having more than 33 years to their names. Another could focus on them all having more than 300 wickets.

At the first Test in Durban, an unprecedented achievement by Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon is continuing, one that they began in Mackay two months ago: being the only quartet in history to walk on to Test fields as members of the 300 club. By the end of day three they had taken another nine, South Africa bowled out for 284, trailing by 139 runs by the time bad light stopped play with Australia 33 without loss.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Exeter finally find first win despite Christian Wade’s hat-trick for Newcastle

Sport | The Guardian

• Prem Rugby: Exeter 34-28 Newcastle

• Wade becomes second player to score 100 top-tier tries

Amid the current gushing torrent of Prem tries here was a reminder that winning still trumps all else. Exeter finally have their first, relieving, victory of the campaign but there were times when it seemed Newcastle might conceivably secure a first away league success in almost four years. In the event the Red Bulls fell just short despite Christian Wade running in a hat-trick to become only the second player to score 100 top-tier tries.

Exeter will be suitably relieved to have edged a curate’s egg of a contest, ultimately made safe by a late try from their Georgian prop Bachuki Tchumbadze. The Chiefs’ Italian international back-rower Ross Vintcent also contributed two ­first-quarter tries to steal some of the prolific Wade’s thunder. The 35-year-old retains a poacher’s instinct and is now closing in fast – in every sense – on Chris Ashton’s all-time Prem career haul of 101.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

‘That’s when I begin to scream’: Mick Fanning on punching a great white shark

Sport | The Guardian

The Australian surfing champion was monstered by a great white shark while competing against fellow Aussie Julian Wilson in the 2015 world tour event final at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa. The attack was broadcast live on TV. Here, in an extract from his memoir, All Heart, he relives the encounter

I’m locked in on my take-off spot in the J-Bay lineup, scanning the horizon, biding my time. Assessing my position against the rippling lines of the oncoming set, I decide to move slightly further inside.

As I move, there’s a big splash behind me. Glancing over my left shoulder, I catch a glimpse of a huge dark shape in the water. A jolt of fear grips me. What the hell is that?

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

NFL roundup: Daniels’ overtime blunder costs Commanders as Giants salvage wild 27-27 tie

Sport | The Guardian

• Daniels’ late scramble leaves Washington unable to kick

• Giants rally from 14 down but settle for 27-27 draw

• Maye throws four TDs as Patriots rout Raiders 45-17

• Jaguars stun Eagles in London with one second left

Jayden Daniels took off on an ill-advised scramble in the closing seconds of overtime with the Commanders in field-goal range, and Washington were unable to stop the clock before time expired, settling for a 27-27 tie with the New York Giants on Sunday after both teams made critical mistakes in the extra period.

Washington (1-3-1) got the ball with two minutes left in overtime when Daron Payne stripped the ball from Cam Skattebo with the Giants in range for a game-winning field goal. Daniels quickly moved the Commanders to the Giants’ 24-yard line, but with 12 seconds left and Washington out of timeouts, he held on to the ball and went down for no gain. Washington lined up to spike the ball, but the clock ticked down to zero and coach Dan Quinn ripped off his headset in disgust.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Premier League returns in shadow of Manchester City’s judgment day | Jonathan Wilson

Sport | The Guardian

Football felt secondary on the first weekend of action since club were found guilty of breaking financial rules

The Cimbri are heading menacingly south, but in Rome life goes on. The asteroid is definitely coming this way, but people go to work, eat, drink, plan as usual. The White Walkers are approaching the Wall, but the squabbles between the great houses go on. Everyone in the Premier League knows the crisis is approaching, thinks – hopes, fears? – it may be apocalyptic, but until it arrives, what can you do but carry on?

After any break, there’s always an awkward moment while everybody resets. What was the cliffhanger we left the soap opera on? What new plotline had just been seeded? This is one of the reasons international weeks are so disruptive. It’s not just that the Premier League story slows for a while, it’s that we are reminded that these entities are not eternal but alliances of convenience between paid employees who have a life outside the soap opera.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

‘We make our own noise’: Maresca hails Manchester City after Liverpool triumph

Sport | The Guardian

• ‘You cannot imagine how happy I am … I’m here to win’

• City win 3-0 at Anfield in first game since guilty verdict

Enzo Maresca praised Manchester City for “making their own noise” at Liverpool as they brushed aside the controversy and threats surrounding the club with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Anfield.

City, in their first outing since the club were found guilty on 114 charges relating to Premier League financial rules, maintained their 100% start to the season courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland, the excellent Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki. A sixth successive league win ensured Maresca equalled the best start to a managerial reign in Premier League history and kept City at the top of the table.

October 12th 2026, 2:46 am

Maresca says Manchester City still waiting for apology after incorrect 2023 derby goal

Sport | The Guardian

• United won game after controversial Fernandes equaliser

• City to blood youngsters for Carabao Cup game against Norwich

Enzo Maresca says Manchester United cannot complain about the controversial derby winner on Sunday because Manchester City are still awaiting an apology from the referees’ chief, Howard Webb, for a match-defining decision in the same fixture three years ago. City lost at Old Trafford in 2023 after Bruno Fernandes equalised despite Marcus Rashford being in an offside position.

Marseca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at the time and had to witness Rashford’s winner minutes later. “The goal was not a regular goal, if you remember,” Maresca said. “And to be honest, no one apologised. We are still waiting for the apology for that goal. Sometimes it happens for you, sometimes it happens against you. It’s football.”

September 16th 2026, 10:59 am

Why are two college football teams playing at Wembley on Saturday?

Sport | The Guardian

Kansas are taking on Arizona in the Union Jack Classic, with 60,000 young and noisy fans expected at Wembley

By No Helmets Required

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September 16th 2026, 10:59 am

Why Coventry, Tottenham and Aston Villa should not panic about their slow starts

Sport | The Guardian

Coventry have no points, Spurs have no goals and Villa have dipped again. But what does a bad start really mean?

By Opta Analyst

That optimism we feel at the start of a new season can be intoxicating. Whatever happened last season, there has been a whole summer to correct things. New signings, possibly a new manager, and new possibilities. What could go wrong? Oh, everything. Terrific. We’re only in mid-September, but that early optimism has melted away and been replaced by anxiety for some fans.

Coventry had every reason to look forward to the season, their first in the Premier League since 2001. They were coming off the back of a title-winning campaign in the Championship and were riding the crest of a wave. Now, though, they have fallen off their surfboard and are frantically trying to keep their heads above water as the ferocity of the top flight becomes increasingly apparent.

September 16th 2026, 7:04 am

The Spin | Robots bowling the perfect doosra are some way off but AI is already reshaping cricket

Sport | The Guardian

Artificial intelligence is not replacing the player, coach or analyst, but it is certainly allowing them to do more

Daniel Kokotajlo, a former researcher at OpenAI, warned last week that it was possible we would end up “creating a new species that ends up ruling the world”. Once the initial shock wore off, and I’d considered what this could mean for my young children and the future of the planet, another thought popped into my head: will this new species be able to swing an old cricket ball or navigate a seaming green top?

It sounds frivolous. It is frivolous. But the question is not quite as ridiculous as it first appears.

September 16th 2026, 7:04 am

Iranian football returns in the shadow of war and with row over last league title

Sport | The Guardian

Prolonged league suspension due to war and falling behind Saudi spending power are weakening the sport in Iran

Just three months ago, Iran was one of the biggest stories in football as Team Melli arrived at the World Cup to try to play in the US, a country that had been bombing and firing missiles at Tehran and other targets. A disallowed goal and a last-minute effort that hit the bar in the final group game against Egypt confirmed Iran’s group-stage exit – to the delight of some US officials – by the narrowest of margins. It also signalled the abrupt end of international attention.

This week there was a return, however, to international action as Esteghlal and Tractor SC started out in the AFC Champions League Elite. It comes after the Persian Gulf League kicked off in mid-August, almost six months after it was postponed at the end of February, and subsequently abandoned as the war continued.

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

Middlesex upheaval grows as chair Richard Sykes reveals intent to resign

Sport | The Guardian

• Mike Gatting has led calls for Sykes’ departure

• Beleaguered county’s chief executive left in June

Richard Sykes is set to resign as chair of Middlesex in the latest change of leadership at the beleaguered county club. The Guardian has learned that Sykes has told the board of his decision to quit after three years as chair, with members to be informed later this week, after repeated calls from ex-players led by the former Middlesex and England captain Mike Gatting for him to stand down.

Sykes’ impending departure will follow that of Andrew Cornish, who was dismissed as chief executive in June after the club received a complaint about his alleged behaviour from a fellow member of staff, which he denies.

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

F1 sprint races increase from six to 10 and Portugal and Turkey return in 2027 calendar

Sport | The Guardian

• Monaco and Bahrain among additional sprint hosts

• 24-race schedule includes returns to Turkey and Portugal

Formula One has announced its calendar for 2027, with an increase in sprint races to 10 events, including at Monaco, and the addition of meetings in Portugal and Turkey.

The season of 24 races will open in Bahrain, while the British grand prix at Silverstone is to take place on the weekend of 2-4 July. All four races in the Middle East are scheduled to take place in their normal slots.

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

When did football fans first start wearing replica kits? | The Knowledge

Sport | The Guardian

Plus: more costly (and beneficial) red cards, plus attacks with triple half-century of international goals

• Mail us with your all of your questions and answers

“When did fans wearing replica kits become a thing?” asks Alex Ecob. “Older footage shows people in regular clothes and a few scarves/flags in the team colours. What kickstarted the trend? Did one club get there first?”

As the question suggests, this is a not a straightforward answer. Buckle up folks, as we veer wildly from copyright acts to academia, via multiple reports of unofficial kits, DIY jobs, cup-final special editions, youth strips, sew-on jobs and the like. But if we are to draw a line in the sand, and declare one date or one jersey as the first official, adult replica kit to be sold by a club to the general public (or at least those close enough to the club shop), then we probably have to give the gong to Leeds United in 1973, although only children’s sizes were produced initially.

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

Sky closes in on broadcast rights for first women’s British & Irish Lions tour

Sport | The Guardian

• Lions to play five fixtures in New Zealand in 2027

• Sky has held live rights for men’s Lions since 1997

The inaugural women’s British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand next year is expected to be broadcast live on Sky Sports in a significant boost for the women’s game. Sky has held live rights for men’s Lions fixtures since the 1997 tour of South Africa, and the broadcaster is understood to be in advanced discussions about adding the women’s series to its portfolio.

The first women’s Lions will play three Tests against the Black Ferns and two tour matches next September, with Sky expected to broadcast all five fixtures.

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

Yorkshire v Somerset, Sussex v Notts and more: County Championship cricket, day two – live

Sport | The Guardian

• All the latest updates from around the grounds

• Middlesex chair Sykes to resign | Email Tanya

Some thoughtful chat about pitches in the Reporters’ Network quotes last night:

Glamorgan’s Zain ul Hassan, who took four for 26 in Surrey’s 115 all out at The Oval:

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

Xhaka promises ‘fire’ from Sunderland on long-awaited return to Europe

Sport | The Guardian

Captain looking forward to intimidating atmosphere when Wearsiders host AZ, after 53 years away

When Sunderland last played European football, club directors viewed it as a useful means of raising the cash necessary to fund floodlight upgrades at Roker Park necessitated by England’s widespread adoption of colour television.

Back in the autumn of 1973 a lighting system compatible with the demands of broadcasting in black and white was proving increasingly outdated and Sunderland responded by doubling admission prices for the second leg of their opening European Cup Winners’ Cup tie against Vasas of Budapest. Coming at a moment when miners and railway workers were engaged in long-running industrial action and north-easterners’ finances were duly tight, it dictated that a disappointing crowd of under 23,000 turned out to watch Dennis Tueart’s penalty secure a 3-0 aggregate win.

September 16th 2026, 5:15 am

Max Dowman doubles up for Arsenal’s back-ups to beat Ipswich in Carabao Cup

Sport | The Guardian

The bad news for everyone else is that Arsenal’s next generation is already here. Two mesmerising goals and an assist in a man-of-the-match display from Max Dowman underlined why the 16-year-old has been compared to a certain Lionel Messi by his manager, Mikel Arteta, as Ipswich were swatted aside with ease. Almost as impressive was the performance of the 17-year-old Marli Salmon, who oozed class in central defence on only the second senior start of his career.

Ipswich won here the last time these two sides met in this competition, in 2011, but were beaten 3-0 in the second leg of the semi-final at the Emirates before Arsenal infam­ously lost to Birmingham in the final. ­Fifteen years on, Gary O’Neil’s heavily rotated side stood no chance against last year’s runners up after Dowman’s brilliant opening goal. Noni Madueke and the stand-in skipper Mikel Merino were also on target as Arsenal made it seven wins out of seven to start the new campaign. Having finally ended their long wait for silverware in style, this team are hungry for more and know they can now rely on one of the most exciting talents ever to have emerged from their Hale End academy.

September 16th 2026, 2:45 am

England thrash Sri Lanka after Harry Brook rejects rest to blast brilliant century

Sport | The Guardian

• England captain hits unbeaten 114 off 49 balls in first T20

• Sonny Baker claims three wickets in 119-run victory

As he nears the end of a hectic summer, Harry Brook was offered the chance to rest rather than play this series and how Sri Lanka must wish Pakistan’s red-ball side had extended him enough to force a layoff. As it turned out, the 27-year-old could hardly have looked fresher as he inspired his side to an overwhelming win over emphatically outclassed opponents, a brilliant century powering England to a 19th victory in 22 completed games since he took over the captaincy, secured by the margin of 119 runs.

Brook cavorted to triple figures off 42 balls, of which precisely a third were dispatched to the boundary, six of them beyond it, and ended unbeaten on 114 as England posted 254. But as much as his power his running impressed, using the size of the ground and manipulation of angles to maximum advantage, aided occasionally by the tourists’ imperfection in the field, as he scurried a succession of twos.

September 16th 2026, 2:45 am

Szoboszlai screamer seals Liverpool’s progress as De Zerbi’s Spurs woes grow

Sport | The Guardian

Tottenham scored and Roberto De Zerbi eulogised the quality at his disposal, yet try telling Spurs’ suffering away support there was consolation to be found at Anfield. Liverpool toyed with De Zerbi by advancing into round four with a quality of finishing that he can only dream of.

While the Spurs head coach talked a good game and his players played a pretty one in harmless areas, Liverpool produced the only effective one. Alexis Mac Allister promoted his claims for a new contract for the second midweek in succession with an excellent strike and Cody Gakpo continued his fine early season form with a smart second plus an assist. But both were overshadowed by Dominik Szoboszlai’s stupendous 25-yard finish in stoppage time.

September 16th 2026, 2:45 am

Ipswich Town v Arsenal: Carabao Cup third round – live

Sport | The Guardian

⚽️ Carabao Cup news, 8pm BST kick-off at Portman Road
⚽️ Liverpool v Tottenham – follow it live
⚽️ Live scoreboard | Send your thoughts to Taha via email

Allan Castle writes in:

As a British-born Canadian, who has shuttled back and forth over the Atlantic for six decades, when I get back to England I seek out cherished beverages past and present that are unavailable or only sporadically found in Canada: orange squash, ginger beer, Theakston’s Old Peculier, real bitter, etc. What is Carabao? What does it taste like? And, perhaps most important, what are the cultural assumptions British people make about Carabao drinkers? I’m old enough to know that no seemingly benign refreshment decision in the UK is made without social consequences.

With Enciso on the bench, Arsenal will win. It’s too bad for Ipswich’s lack of courage.

September 15th 2026, 3:00 pm

Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur: Carabao Cup third round – live

Sport | The Guardian

⚽️ Carabao Cup news from the 8pm BST kick-off at Anfield
⚽️ Ipswich v Arsenal – follow it live
⚽️ Live scoreboard | Send your thoughts to Scott via email

Pre-match postbag. “Great to see Joe Gomez back. However, I predict a muscle strain on 23 minutes sadly” – Jesse Davies

“It (probably) won’t happen but would anything be funnier than 0-0 after 90 minutes, then Tottenham missing their first three pens and Liverpool going through?” – Dave Estherby

September 15th 2026, 3:00 pm

England v Sri Lanka: first T20 cricket international updates – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Over-by-over match updates, play from 6.30pm BST

• Pietersen’s return is pure content | And mail James

It’s a beautiful late summer evening at the Utilita and the coin falls the way of Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka. He decides to chase, in modern parlance. Harry Brook then says he would have batted first anyway, so there.

Who is Aneurin Donald and why is he playing for England? This video explainer from Yas Rana has got you covered.

September 15th 2026, 1:14 pm

Howard Webb says accidental handball law ‘a nonsense’ and calls for reform

Sport | The Guardian

• Webb wants to stop ‘ridiculous situations’

• Says VAR officials in United v City had ‘tunnel vision’

Howard Webb has described the law around accidental handball as “a bit of a nonsense” and called for its reform to stop referees being drawn into “ridiculous situations”.

The chief refereeing officer for English football made his remarks on Tuesday, when he also fronted up over the error that allowed Manchester City to win Sunday’s Manchester derby. Webb said he was “really disappointed” with the video assistant referee call that failed to spot Enzo Fernández interfering with play from an offside position before Erling Haaland scored the only goal.

September 15th 2026, 1:14 pm

Raheem Sterling could face prison for reckless driving while using nitrous oxide

Sport | The Guardian

Ex-England footballer pleads guilty and admits to failing to provide a specimen as he appears in court

Raheem Sterling pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and could be sent to prison after driving his Lamborghini for more than an hour on motorways during rush hour while inhaling nitrous oxide.

The former Chelsea and Manchester City forward stood in the dock to accept three charges before Basingstoke magistrates court heard how he embarked on a prolonged period of reckless driving on the M25 and M3, inhaling nitrous oxide balloons, before crashing his £270,000 car. Sterling was disqualified from driving and bailed until 25 November, when his sentence will either be determined or referred to the crown court.

September 15th 2026, 1:14 pm

Top golfers to get no favours for PGA Tour return after LIV bankruptcy

Sport | The Guardian

• PGA commissioner: ‘The Tour is built on meritocracy’

• Rahm and Hatton likely to start back on DP World Tour

The head of the PGA Tour has insisted there will be no favours offered to golfers looking to return to the platform after LIV’s bankruptcy filing last week.

The increasing likelihood is players such as Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Tyrrell Hatton will have to play their way back on to the PGA Tour through performances in Europe in 2027 in what would represent a boost to the DP World Tour.

September 15th 2026, 1:14 pm

Manchester United shocked as talented youngster JJ Gabriel asks to leave

Sport | The Guardian

• 15-year-old wants his registration to be cancelled

• He was to be in squad to face Brighton on Wednesday

Manchester United have been left confused and shocked by the news that the talented 15-year-old player JJ Gabriel has asked to leave the club, a day before he was to be included in the first-team squad to face Brighton.

Gabriel could have become United’s youngest player in the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday. But the Guardian understands he has asked for his registration to be cancelled.

September 15th 2026, 1:14 pm

Are Manchester United as poor as the early Premier League table suggests?

Sport | The Guardian

Michael Carrick’s side are 13th in the table after four games but, City mitigation aside, several areas need attention

Manchester United are 13th in the Premier League, having taken four points from their first four games: a 2-0 defeat at Hull, 5-2 win against Ipswich, 2-2 draw at Everton and the 1-0 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday. Mitigation regarding the City reverse can be found in the derby coming three days after the Champions League win against Sabah on Thursday, with Enzo Maresca’s side having 48 hours more rest after winning at Porto. So are United, who host Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before visiting Fulham in the league on Sunday, as poor as the table suggests?

September 15th 2026, 8:15 am

Yorkshire v Somerset, Sussex v Notts, and more: county cricket, day one – live

Sport | The Guardian

All the latest updates from around the grounds
Email Tanya with any thoughts or comment BTL

Notts have made a last-minute addition to their side, seam bowler Mukesh Kumar who has taken 233 first-class wickets during a career played entirely in India.

He arrives on the back of helping East Zone win the Duleep Trophy.

September 15th 2026, 8:15 am

The Breakdown | Meg Jones leads the call to provide fertility support for rugby players

Sport | The Guardian

The Red Roses captain says nobody should have to choose between their career and having a family

The introduction of funding for egg freezing and wider fertility treatment in women’s football has started a wider discussion about fertility in women’s sport with the Red Roses captain, Meg Jones, shining a light on the topic in rugby. The Spanish football federation and Chelsea have both announced financial support around fertility recently and Jones has said it is something the Red Roses should “jump on too”.

On the Good, the Scaz and the Rugby podcast, Jones described those decisions made in football as “class” before revealing that she and her fiancee, former Trailfinders and sevens star Celia Quansah, have been to get their egg count checked. The admission prompted her England teammate Hannah Botterman to share that she and her partner, the Wales player Georgia Evans, had also been researching their IVF journey.

September 15th 2026, 8:15 am

Pietersen’s England return is just pure content at a time when cricket needs it | Barney Ronay

Sport | The Guardian

While there’s a statistically significant chance it will all go south, KP’s mentorship could be a throwback to better days

At the end of his time as consultant to the England cricket setup Gilbert Enoka praised Brendon McCullum’s incredible work in healing the culture of his team. Enoka is best known as the architect of the no-dickheads policy in sport. This is basically Doctor Dickhead. Dickheads? He’s not having them.

“There wasn’t one dickhead in there,” Enoka announced, proudly. And history has shown this to be correct. All the evidence suggests the numerical value of dickheads in the England cricket team was something other than one. And yes, zero is not one. Fair point. But so are all the other numbers, the ones that go up the other way into plurals, multiples, an infinity of dickheads.

September 15th 2026, 8:15 am

London snubbed in favour of Nairobi for 2029 World Athletics Championships

Sport | The Guardian

• Munich selected for 2031, president Seb Coe announces

• Source in British bid ‘gutted’ at double disappointment

London’s bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships has ended in failure and heartbreak after it lost out to Nairobi. It marks an historic day for the Kenyan capital as it becomes the first African city to host the global championships.

Seb Coe, the World Athletics president, also announced that Munich would stage the 2031 event, saying it had “all the ingredients to be a spectacular world championships.”

September 15th 2026, 8:15 am

David Squires on … a big weekend for controversial calls in the Premier League

Sport | The Guardian

Our cartoonist on the English top-flight leading the way for debatable decisions and performative sadness

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

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

September 15th 2026, 8:15 am

Calvert-Lewin shows the way as Leeds thrash limp Newcastle and rise to third

Sport | The Guardian

At what stage does a good start become something more significant? Perhaps we are not quite there yet; maybe we are. But as the goals flew in on a chaotic night at Elland Road, it was difficult not to think the boundaries of expectation for Leeds were potentially being redrawn.

Ask those close to the action over the summer at Leeds and the feeling was that there was a possibility of something special materialising this season. Having found their feet in the Premier League in the last campaign, the platform had been set and a very good summer transfer window seemed like the catalyst for even brighter days to return to West Yorkshire.

September 15th 2026, 1:32 am

Hyrox changes rules and apologises for allowing Australian athlete who soiled herself to continue

Sport | The Guardian

• Australian Joanna Wietrzyk went on to win fitness race in Beijing

• Hyrox admits making mistake by ‘not reacting immediately’

Organisers of the global indoor fitness competition Hyrox have apologised and pledged immediate rule changes after an Australian athlete was allowed to finish and win an event in Beijing despite soiling herself mid-race.

Footage of world record holder Joanna Wietrzyk competing on Saturday showed her continuing through demanding exercises and using communal equipment, with faecal matter visibly running down her legs. The incident went viral on social media and triggered debate about Hyrox’s health and safety standards, and athlete responsibility.

September 15th 2026, 1:32 am

Patrick Mahomes triumphant on NFL return as Chiefs beat up misfiring Broncos

Sport | The Guardian

• Denver Broncos 10–31 Kansas City Chiefs

• Chiefs QB throws two TDs on return from torn ACL

• Kenneth Walker III rushes for 173 yards on debut

Kenneth Walker III ran for 173 yards and scored two touchdowns on his Chiefs debut, stealing some of the spotlight from Patrick Mahomes as Kansas City defeated the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday night.

The big question, even after Mahomes participated in the entire offseason program and every practice of training camp, was how his surgically repaired left knee would hold up nine months to the day since he tore his ACL. He erased many of those doubts when he capped the Chiefs’ opening drive with a 15-yard touchdown run.

September 15th 2026, 1:32 am

From influencers to brutal finishes, US Open 2026 was worst grand slam in recent memory | Tumaini Ca

Sport | The Guardian

Despite the drama on the court, the poor condition of Arthur Ashe Stadium was just one problem among many

At the end of another comically late night and early morning in Flushing Meadows, when the remaining spectators were departing, a familiar scene was unfolding on the US Open tournament grounds. A handful of workers had congregated directly beneath a hole in the ceiling inside one of the tournament shops as they tried to stop water from flowing out of a broken pipe and ruining thousands of pounds worth of merchandise below.

This was not a surprising sight. Upon entering Arthur Ashe Stadium this year, fans were greeted by some ominous signs: “Pardon our appearance while we write the next chapter of Arthur Ashe Stadium.” The tournament’s appearance, it must be said, was hideous. Inside the corridors and rooms at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it felt like its main building was falling apart.

September 14th 2026, 4:47 pm

Pollock denies signing Northampton deal and is ‘open to every opportunity’

Sport | The Guardian

• Flanker says: ‘You almost have to be quite selfish’

• Northampton still confident 21-year-old will stay

Henry Pollock insists he has not yet re‑signed for Northampton and is “open to every opportunity” including playing abroad and trying out other sports. The England back‑row is still widely expected to agree a deal to remain at Franklin’s Gardens but, for now, is refusing to publicly confirm his intentions beyond the end of the season.

While the 21-year-old flanker, who toured with the British & Irish Lions last year, has been offered a significant pay rise to more than £400,000 a year to stay with the English champions until 2029, his new promoter Eddie Hearn has been touting Pollock as “a seven-figure player” in terms of what he brings on the field and commercially. Prem salary cap regulations, however, mean that few, if any, other English clubs are in a position to afford him at that level.

September 14th 2026, 4:47 pm

Pietersen has England players ‘buzzing’ but McCullum delivers Carse warning

Sport | The Guardian

• Former England batter starts role with white-ball teams

• Fleming also ‘right person’ to take Test team forward

Brendon McCullum has revealed that he was the driving force behind the recruitment of Kevin Pietersen as a specialist mentor to England’s white-ball teams and said the new arrival had specific orders to “look across the environment and challenge me”.

Pietersen spent his first day in the role monitoring training at the Utilita Bowl after delivering an address that had the players “buzzing”, according to McCullum, England’s white-ball coach.

September 14th 2026, 4:47 pm

‘Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like’: female athletes spark backlash against vira

Sport | The Guardian

• American actor accused of sexualising women’s sports

• British sprinter Amy Hunt leads storm of protest

The US actor Sydney Sweeney is facing a backlash from female Olympians and other athletes, who have accused her of demeaning and sexualising women’s sports by appearing in a controversial advert for a sports prediction company.

In the viral commercial for Novig, which was viewed more than 22 million times in the first two days of its release, Sweeney’s nude body is covered by footballs, basketballs, and other sports equipment, as she tells users they can bet on “just sports”. After saying “sports” nine times, she appears topless on a pool table, before saying: “You can’t trade this, I just look good here.”

September 14th 2026, 4:47 pm

Leeds United v Newcastle United: Premier League – live

Sport | The Guardian

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off
⚽ 10 weekend talking points | And you can mail Daniel

Jaissle did, of course, have a choice; he might’ve picked Touré. But it makes sense that in so competitive a contest and such an intimidating environment, he’s decided that one new face is enough.

Elanga, though, is a big miss. When he was playing age-group football, I really liked him – he combined the agility of a winger with the instinct of a striker. But when he broke into the Manchester United first team, his touch didn’t look good enough for the level, and even at Forest, he was more of a runner than a footballer. His worth-ethic, though, is unreal, and it might just be that he’s improved his technique to the point he’s growing into an all-round threat.

September 14th 2026, 4:47 pm

USA’s Solheim Cup inquest begins amid early celebrations and stats complaints

Sport | The Guardian

• Losing captain frustrated by lack of in-play statistics

• Stanford offers warning to Ryder Cup leader Jim Furyk

The latest inquest into failure by an American team on European soil involves slow greens, the perception of a premature celebration and a curious absence of statistical backup. Angela Stanford, whose Solheim Cup team were defeated by Europe in the Netherlands on Sunday, warned Jim Furyk’s Ryder Cup contingent to take note.

Stanford used the numbers-based evidence of Justin Ray to assist with decision-making and Furyk will do likewise at Adare Manor next year. In the aftermath of the 15-13 defeat and assessing Ray’s input, Stanford clearly had an underlying gripe. “I’m wondering how honest to be,” she said.

September 14th 2026, 12:16 pm

Hunt and Kerr have lit up the summer, but star athletes remain wary over Spoty

Sport | The Guardian

• ‘It’s not a given, that’s the reality,’ Kerr says in Budapest

• Athletes cautious over BBC’s informal shortlist policy

It should be the biggest no-brainer of the sporting year. After a summer where athletics has captured hearts and headlines, and made so many fans fall back in love with it again, either Amy Hunt or Josh Kerr should win the award for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The bookies’ odds suggest many others think the same way: Hunt is the even-money favourite, Kerr is second, with Harry Kane a stride or two back in third. Yet Kerr knows he cannot take anything for granted.

September 14th 2026, 12:16 pm

The drought abides: US men still without a major since 2003 despite Shelton’s heroics

Sport | The Guardian

Alexander Zverev was simply too good for the home hope at the US Open on Sunday. Andy Roddick’s record may stand for some time to come

On a Sunday afternoon set up for Ben Shelton to play national hero, the US Open final debutant suffered a four-set defeat to Alexander Zverev, a result that deflated the partisans at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match compounded Shelton’s miserable head-to-head record against the German, who claimed a second career grand slam title without having to face final bosses Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. The defeat also extended a long drought – the last win by an American man at a grand slam was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open, when Shelton was still a month off his first birthday.

After the final, Shelton wore a hangdog expression as he thanked his team and the capacity crowd in New York, tucking the silver runner-up tray under his arm as if shunted off to high school detention. “Disappointed with how today went,” he said in his press conference afterward. “Excited with the progress that I feel that I’ve made. But, yeah, this one stings 100%.”

September 14th 2026, 12:16 pm

VARs who wrongly allowed Haaland’s goal at Manchester United are stood down

Sport | The Guardian

• Matt Donohue and his assistant not used this weekend

• Pro Ref said allowing winner was ‘error of judgment’

The video assistant referee officials who allowed Erling Haaland’s winning goal in the Manchester derby on Sunday have been stood down from their responsibilities.

Matt Donohue and his assistant, Blake Antrobus, have been told by Pro Ref they have not received appointments for the next round of Premier League fixtures, due to take place next weekend.

September 14th 2026, 12:16 pm

Sydney Sweeney’s prediction ad is cynical, unhealthy and reveals plenty about modern sports | Jane M

Sport | The Guardian

The actor’s latest promotion has stirred outrage but will no doubt be good for the prediction markets hoping to lure in young men

Prediction markets are a cynical business.

Many customers will lose money, and the real product may just be the delightful dopamine hit that comes in that brief window between placing a bet and its outcome – which is statistically more likely to be a disappointment than a victory. So the bettor has to think they are buying more than their own fleecing.

September 14th 2026, 12:16 pm

England give Fleming unprecedented consent to balance job with TV role in New Zealand

Sport | The Guardian

• Test coach to work for Sky NZ in October and December

• Fleming will plan South Africa tour in upcoming weeks

England’s new Test head coach Stephen Fleming will return to New Zealand to work as a commentator on the Black Caps’ Test and white ball series against India next month despite having formally started work.

Fleming arrived in England on Monday for a 10-day trip which will feature talks with captain Joe Root and the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, after missing this summer’s three-Test series against Pakistan with the batting coach, Marcus Trescothick, presiding over a 3-0 win.

September 14th 2026, 12:16 pm

WSL talking points: Olid must weather United storm, Arsenal wasteful again

Sport | The Guardian

Manchester United need to regroup after a heavy home loss to Chelsea while Crystal Palace frustrated the Gunners

The frustration among Manchester United fans at full-time was evident at Leigh Sports Village after they had watched their team being thrashed 5-0 by a rampant Chelsea. There are certainly things to be worried about, but perhaps judging United’s new manager, Eva Olid, on the basis of how they performed against Sonia Bompastor’s established side is a little premature. The likelihood of United taking three points was always slim, despite the false hope after Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last weekend. Chelsea have not been an easy opponent for the Red Devils, who have lost three WSL games by more than three goals, all against Chelsea. Having had three weeks with her side, Olid had a harsh WSL baptism with losses to London City Lionesses and Chelsea. United face Arsenal next. “These are difficult games to build the confidence in attack, but I’m here to build an identity and I have to be faithful to that,” said the Spaniard. Suzanne Wrack

Match report: Manchester United 0-5 Chelsea

WSL roundup: Arsenal rue misses in Palace draw

Match report: West Ham 2-1 London City Lionesses

September 14th 2026, 10:00 am

Dogs, bands and pre-match outfits: best images from the US Open tennis 2026

Sport | The Guardian

We take a look at some of our favourite snapshots from New York as Elena Rybakina and Alexander Zverev both triumphed in the final grand slam of the year

September 14th 2026, 10:00 am

The Hotspot | South Korea pushes for football season to make winter switch after unbearable summer

Sport | The Guardian

Why fainting fans and perspiring players are a worry for the Asian league seeking to follow Japan and align with Europe

South Korean football is trying to find the goldilocks time to play the K-League. Winters have long been too cold and, increasingly, summers are too hot. This may be the Land of the Morning Calm but, for much of the time, the weather can be pretty extreme.

Last week a survey revealed that more than 70% of 29 respondent coaches in Asia’s oldest professional league support a shift from the traditional March to November schedule to one that matches the European format, which starts in late August and has a winter break.

September 14th 2026, 10:00 am

Arsenal demand meeting with Pro Ref over penalty decision at Sunderland

Sport | The Guardian

• Explanation wanted after spot-kick given against them

• Arsenal likely to raise penalty not awarded at Aston Villa

Arsenal are seeking an explanation from Pro Ref over the penalty awarded to Sunderland on Saturday that Mikel Arteta described as “unacceptable at this level”. It is understood the Premier League champions contacted Pro Ref on Monday y to request a meeting after Ezri Konsa was penalised during an incident involving Dan Ballard at the Stadium of Light.

David Raya made a brilliant save to deny Enzo Le Fée’s spot-kick before Arsenal went on to win 2-0

September 14th 2026, 10:00 am

Top of the table, empty in the stands: inside the revolt against Lazio’s owner | Nicky Bandini

Sport | The Guardian

Despite an impressive start under Gennaro Gattuso, supporters are boycotting the Stadio Olimpico to wage war against Claudio Lotito

Gennaro Gattuso has given some memorable post-game interviews down the years. Who could forget his “sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit” rant at OFI Crete, or the face of the beleaguered interpreter tasked with translating it? Last year, not long before taking charge of the Italian national team, Gattuso got into a finger-jabbing, language-swapping, almost-nose-to-nose shouting match with Josko Jelicic on Croatian television.

And yet there was something more affecting about the soft way he spoke this Saturday, in Calabrian-accented Italian. Without anger, but with an air of melancholy. “For me, football without fans is shit,” he said. “What do you think? I’d say it’s better to stay home. Better to go for a walk with the dogs.”

September 14th 2026, 10:00 am

Spanish GP plans to change Madring after fierce criticism from F1 drivers

Sport | The Guardian

• New track for Spanish GP frustrated drivers and fans

• McLaren’s Stella: ‘It’s impossible to attempt overtaking’

Discussions are already under way to change the layout of Formula One’s newest circuit after driver condemnation of the Madring during its inaugural grand prix. The race in Madrid was won by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, but it was notable for being a procession with overtakes failing to reach double digits over 57 laps. Drivers were left frustrated and disappointed at an opportunity that had been lost, resulting in a chorus of criticism.

“I don’t know how someone looks at this design and goes ‘mint’,” said the defending world champion, Lando Norris, who finished third. “There’s a lot of opportunity. They can make it into a track that’s good for racing and I’m excited to come back here next year if they can make these changes.

September 14th 2026, 10:00 am

One constant menace and post-Bazball malaise: England’s winners and losers | Simon Burnton

Sport | The Guardian

Some have stepped to the fore during a period of uncertainty, while others appear to be struggling for form

Robinson started the first Test by taking three wickets in an over, started his final bowling innings by taking two in an over, and between showed extraordinary control and consistency. His skill has never been in doubt but his fitness and work ethic were, so much so that he made only one appearance in just under three years before the comeback this summer.

September 14th 2026, 4:30 am

Wigan dominate the present but NRL cash is key to Super League future

Sport | The Guardian

The playoffs begin on Friday with Wigan topping the table, but the competition could be run by NRL from next season

As winds of change threaten to sweep through Super League off the field, there is an eery feeling of consistency on it as the business end of the season arrives. The prospect of a partnership with the National Rugby League looms closer, with the Australian governing body prepared to give clubs around £35m over five years in return for administrative control of Super League. The deal stalled throughout the summer, but the Guardian has been told it is now on the verge of approval after a meeting on Friday, with almost all clubs in favour.

The finer details are still to be worked out, but with enough clubs on side, the NRL will effectively take over running Super League from 2027 and attempt to drive forward the competition’s off-field prospects. And when it does get its feet under the table, it would be a major surprise if a familiar face is not sitting at the head of it.

September 14th 2026, 4:30 am

Sydney Sweeney under fire for ‘sexualising women’s sport’ in sports prediction ad

Sport | The Guardian

• Actor appears naked in ad while mock playing various sports

• ‘A kick in the face,’ says Olympic champion swimmer Ariarne Titmus

Olympic athletes have come out in force to condemn a sports betting advert featuring actor Sydney Sweeney in various states of undress, while showcasing the real skill, strength and beauty of women’s sport.

The campaign, for US sports prediction market company Novig, depicts Sweeney in minimal to no clothing while she pretends to play several different sports.

September 14th 2026, 4:30 am

The Josh Allen rollercoaster is up and running again for the new NFL season

Sport | The Guardian

The Bills quarterback produced his usual thrills: a galloping touchdown run, a near game-ending mistake and a brilliant throw. Buffalo fans better hold on

Having Josh Allen as your quarterback is a bit like owning a high-performance sports car with an odd mechanical flaw that can’t be repaired. Most of the results are amazing – perhaps unprecedented – but there are also times when you wonder if a safer ride would get you farther.

In Buffalo’s 36-31 Sunday win over the Houston Texans, Bills fans saw all sides of the Allenmobile. The quarterback completed 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 130.5. He also ran the ball six times for 23 yards and two more touchdowns, the first a typical romp through the opposing defense.

September 14th 2026, 4:30 am

Enric Mas reigns supreme at last in Vuelta a España to delight Spanish fans

Sport | The Guardian

• Mas wins title after three second-place finishes

• Tobias Johannessen takes final stage in Granada

Spain’s Enric Mas secured his first Vuelta a España title on Sunday as Tobias Johannessen won the 21st and final stage in Granada, bringing the three-week Grand Tour to a close.

The 31-year-old, who took the red jersey after Tadej Pogacar abandoned the race after a crash on stage eight, held off the four-time champion Primoz Roglic to become the first Spaniard to win the Vuelta since Alberto Contador in 2014.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

Arteta embraces perfect storm to play the victim in game of his own making | Barney Ronay

Sport | The Guardian

Refereeing is now an impossible job owing to the culture of micro-analysis the Arsenal manager has helped to create

A gentleman is never rude unintentionally, only by design. Nobody really knows who said this first. But it could easily be a line from the Elite Football Manager’s Guide to Press Conferences (Premier League edition). Because nothing happens by accident in these spaces.

Every word spoken in front of the board covered in adverts is metered and planned. A manager is never angry, or concerned, or even charming unintentionally. The game is the game, but so are all the other bits spilling out either side of it.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

‘No stopping him’: Hamilton admits defeat as Antonelli charges towards F1 world title

Sport | The Guardian

• Retirement in Madrid leaves Hamilton 101 points back

• Antonelli leads way by 81 points after Spanish GP win

Lewis Hamilton has conceded his Formula One world title hopes are over as he praised the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, saying there was no stopping the Italian after his victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Hamilton, in third place in the championship, had to retire from the race at the Madring with a brake problem on lap six. After Antonelli’s victory it leaves the seven-time world champion 101 points behind the 20-year-old Italian, who took over his seat at Mercedes when Hamilton joined Ferrari.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

Alexander Zverev claims first US Open after four-set battle with Ben Shelton

Sport | The Guardian

• No 1 seed wins 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2

• American’s hopes dashed in tense final

For a passing moment at the end of a rugged third set, hope sprung anew for Ben Shelton. He had been outserved and outplayed for nearly three hours, but at 6-5 in the third set, one game from defeat, the American finally broke through. He burst into the return game finally pounding his forehand freely and he willed himself into an unexpected fourth set.

After he had finished pumping his fist, cupping his ear to the crowd and admirably trying to initiate a drastic momentum shift, the next sequence was most revealing. Shelton opened the fourth set with a shaky game, immediately losing his serve at the start of the set. He worked hard until the end, but he was beaten by Zverev, the top seed, who closed out a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 victory to lift his second grand slam title of the year.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

‘An error of judgement’: Pro Ref admits mistake in awarding Haaland’s derby winner

Sport | The Guardian

• Officiating body announces it will review the incident

• Unhappy Carrick says error was ‘as obvious as it gets’

Pro Ref admitted Erling Haaland’s winner in Sunday’s Manchester derby should not have been allowed after the video assistant referee ruled Enzo Fernández was not interfering with play in the build-up. The elite officiating body will review the decision and has contacted Manchester United.

Haaland’s 60th minute goal for Manchester City at Old Trafford was initially ruled offside before the VAR’s intervention. It came after Josko Gvardiol’s cross hit Patrick Dorgu’s boot, passed Fernández and the United defender Lisandro Martínez, and was finished by the City No 9. VAR decided Fernández was not interfering despite Martínez marking the midfielder.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

NFL roundup: Bears and Panthers set scoring record; Bills beat Texans in thriller

Sport | The Guardian

• Carolina and Chicago combine for 96 points

• Buffalo beat Houston thanks to late rally

Caleb Williams threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 65 yards and two more scores as the Chicago Bears defeated the Carolina Panthers in the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history. Chicago and Carolina scored eight more points than the previous record of 88 set in Tampa Bay’s 48-40 win over New Orleans in 2018. Coach Ben Johnson’s prolific Bears also broke a franchise record for points in an opener, a mark that had stood since 1948, when Chicago hung 45 points on Green Bay at Wrigley Field. The 59 points were the most allowed by the Panthers in team history. D’Andre Swift, who received a $33.75m contract extension earlier this week, ran for 124 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns, while Kyle Monangai had 100 yards rushing, including a 61-yard touchdown burst.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

Josh Kerr bags $150,000 for 1500m victory at Ultimate Championship

Sport | The Guardian

• Scot wins with ease ahead of Nuguse and Myers

• Henrich’s final leg earns Britain silver in mixed relay

Throughout Josh Kerr’s perfect season, he has made the sublime look routine. So when the bell rang for the final lap of the men’s Ultimate 1500m final, with the Scot in third and closing on the leader, Yared Nuguse, the next 53 seconds felt preordained.

So it proved. First Kerr sauntered past Robert Farken into second. Then with 250m remaining, he scootered past Nuguse. The 20‑year‑old Australian star Cam Myers chased valiantly but Kerr smoothly nursed a three-metre lead to the finish.

September 13th 2026, 11:01 pm

Cristiano Ronaldo calls for lifetime bans in Saudi Pro League after Diogo Jota chants

Sport | The Guardian

• Al-Hilal’s Rúben Neves subjected to chants at Al-Taawoun

• Neves was close friend of Jota and pallbearer at funeral

Cristiano Ronaldo said that fans who appeared to ⁠make chants referencing his former teammate Diogo Jota at Rúben Neves during a Saudi ⁠Pro League ⁠match ​should be banned for life from football stadiums.

The chants occurred on Saturday during ⁠a fixture between Al-Taawoun and Neves’s side, Al-Hilal, in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Lauren James revels in free role as Chelsea show ‘respect’ by scoring five past Manchester United

Sport | The Guardian

A swaggering Chelsea cast off any suggestion that they had lost the ability to kill off games, putting five goals past a worryingly lacklustre and lackadaisical Manchester United.

Sonia Bompastor, the Chelsea manager, said: “When you have the opportunity to really hurt a team, the best way to respect them is to score as many goals as you can, to create as many opportunities as you can.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Manchester United v Manchester City: Premier League – live

Sport | The Guardian

⚽️ Manchester derby updates from 4.30pm BST
⚽️ Dunk helps Brighton rout Coventry | Today’s scores

Brighton’s fourth goal was a screamer from Lewis Dunk, of all people, prompting this email from Steve Bradfield.

Is Brighton’s fourth goal a slam Dunk for goal of month?

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Rangers lay down Old Firm marker to send Celtic packing from Scottish League Cup

Sport | The Guardian

Derek McInnes has endured a much‑scrutinised start to life at Ibrox but the Rangers manager got the old ground bouncing here as his side dominated Celtic in front of an all-blue crowd to decide the first Old Firm encounter of the season.

Against a backdrop of bouncing techno from the tannoy, Rangers fans celebrated three memorable goals in a thumping League Cup win. A brace for the captain, Dan Neil, bookended Kevin Kelsy’s second‑half finish to put Martin O’Neill’s side down with relative ease. It also showcased a nascent identity for McInnes’s side, one defined by unbending physical commitment and lots and lots of sprinting. The quality of the football may have been patchy, but the commitment was enough to get the 51,212 home fans at the top of their voices.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Lewis Dunk’s showstopper helps five-star Brighton to rout 10-man Coventry

Sport | The Guardian

The bare statistic is bleak: Coventry City are only the second team in Premier League history to lose their first four games of the season without scoring in any of them. “And yet …” will be the enduring message from Frank Lampard.

And yet they have caused problems for opposition teams – even at points when down to 10 men here against Brighton. And yet they have already faced three of the top flight’s European contingent. And yet they are not playing that badly. But they simply cannot find the point, or even the goal, that would give their confidence a much-needed boost. And it does not take long for a promoted club’s relegation fears to turn realistic.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Kimi Antonelli holds off Max Verstappen during Madring debut to win F1 Spanish GP

Sport | The Guardian

• McLaren’s Norris in third and Ferrari’s Leclerc fourth

• Track design questioned owing to lack of overtaking

Kimi Antonelli won the Spanish Grand Prix for Mercedes becoming the first victor at Formula One’s newest circuit, the Madring in Madrid. In a decidedly prosaic affair for the track’s debut, he beat the Red Bull of Max Verstappen into second place and McLaren’s Lando Norris into third in a race where, after the opening lap, there were only four on-track passes and none of them at the sharp end.

Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari and George Russell fifth for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes were all but ended when he was forced to retire with a brake problem on lap six.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Stephen Fleming inherits intriguing squad after England’s unsettling summer | Ali Martin

Sport | The Guardian

New Test head coach’s arrival and Root’s calming influence as captain add to promising signs in the post-Stokes era

As Joe Root calmly ran the rule over the Test summer and reeled off the ways in which it had been “chaos”, “unusual” and “unsettling” for England, it felt telling that first among them was Ben Stokes calling time on his international career during a match and a series that were both still live at the time.

Cricketers announcing their retirement mid-game is nothing new. Heather Knight went on to do the same during the women’s Test at Lord’s two weeks later. Root is also too loyal to Stokes to question openly whether that scene-stealing exit before New Zealand’s win at Trent Bridge was entirely keeping with his call for “selfless cricketers” four years earlier.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Europe win Solheim Cup against USA to give captain Anna Nordqvist last laugh

Sport | The Guardian

• Europe beat USA 15-13 after 7-4 win in singles matches

• Lottie Woad seals victory with putt against Auston Kim

Eyebrows were raised when Anna Nordqvist somewhat abruptly announced her retirement from competitive golf last month at the age of just 39. Heads were turned when Nordqvist kept Solheim Cup faith with the pairing of Charley Hull and Lottie Woad despite a miserable points return in the Netherlands. Nordqvist sounded unsure about elements of the Solheim Cup’s captains agreement before a ball was whacked in anger. The last laugh belongs to Nordqvist herself, who can sail off into the sunset having added a triumphant Solheim Cup captaincy to a career that had already returned three major wins.

What a rousing afternoon this soon became for women’s golf in Europe. The understated Nordqvist was on the podium once more.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Greatest Rivalry swagger showed South Africa will take some beating at World Cup

Sport | The Guardian

All Blacks were valiant in 3-1 series defeat but Springboks sent another warning to rest of the world in Baltimore

What is the enduring image of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series? The Springboks put the exclamation mark on their status as World Cup favourites by wrapping up the series 3-1 with victory in Baltimore on Saturday, but in months and years to come where will the mind immediately go when reflecting on this epic?

The reality is that after four Tests of remarkable intensity – a brutal reminder of the levels required to compete with the two biggest beasts in the world game – there are plenty. But it is hard to look beyond the 65th minute of the third Test in Soweto, when the Boks’ tank rumbled over from 20 metres. Malcolm Marx was awarded the try and there would be no more deserving recipient of a player of the series award.

September 13th 2026, 12:30 pm

Rangers v Celtic: Scottish League Cup quarter-final – live

Sport | The Guardian

• Match at Ibrox kicks off at 12pm (all times BST)

• Miovski hits late Rangers winner, Celtic extend streak

7 min: Celtic are looking just a touch sloppy here, with Rangers setting the rhythm as Penrice wins the ball in midfield.

5 min: A shocker at the back from Johnstone, clearing the ball straight to Kelsy, inside the area, who hooks it wide. Celtic get away with one early.

September 13th 2026, 8:14 am

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

Sport | The Guardian

⚽️ WSL updates from 12pm BST at Leigh Sports Village
⚽️ Live scoreboard | Send your thoughts to Emillia via email

The teams are out. Kick-off is just a few moments away!

Ahead of today’s match, Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor said: “We need to keep the confidence and keep working hard. I spoke after the Villa game about the mentality, the mindset. It’s a huge part of being ruthless in the box. That game could have been easily 3-0 half-time, and we need to have that mentality when we have the opportunities to kill the game after 45 minutes to do that.

September 13th 2026, 8:14 am

Spanish Grand Prix: Formula One – live

Sport | The Guardian

Lights out at 2pm (all times BST)
Ecclestone questioned after shotgun found on private jet
Share your thoughts with John via email

Vinicius Junior, Bernardo Silva and Zinedine Zidane are all present, too.

Jose Mourinho and Rafa Nadal are in the garages, VIP access being enjoyed.

September 13th 2026, 8:14 am

Mikel Arteta says penalty given to Sunderland ‘unacceptable at this level’

Sport | The Guardian

• Arsenal manager angry: ‘This can never be a penalty’

• ‘It’s a judo roll from the opponent. Ezri does nothing’

Mikel Arteta’s delight at Arsenal’s latest win was tempered by his fury with the referee John Brooks as the champions triumphed 2-0 at Sunderland on Saturday night.

Before Bruno Guimarães gave Arsenal the lead in a tight match that Régis Le Bris’s team were arguably unlucky to lose, David Raya made a brilliant save to deny Enzo Le Fée from the penalty spot. Arteta, however, did not believe that Ezri Konsa had hauled Dan Ballard to the ground, instead blaming the Sunderland man for pulling down his opponent.

September 13th 2026, 5:44 am

FastPasses, Mega Honey Deuces and $55 chopped cheese: welcome to the US Open in 2041 | Bryan Armen G

Sport | The Guardian

Craig Tiley says the US Open is going to become the ‘Disneyland of tennis’, and he means it aspirationally. Here’s what that might look like 15 years from now

The year is 2041 and you’ve successfully made it through security and onto the grounds of the USTA Liquid Death National Tennis Center. Myla Rose and Leo Federer are hitting on Practice Court 23 ahead of their first-round match in the US Open Mixed Doubles sponsored by Botoxxify, the tournament’s official neuromodulator partner. Jake Paul, the 50th president of the United States, is a few hours from attending opening night with first lady Jutta Leerdam-Paul and labor secretary Dana White. Venus Williams has just accepted a wildcard into the women’s singles draw. You’re thisclose to paying off last year’s Honey Deuces on Klarna.

Welcome to the Disneyland of tennis.

September 13th 2026, 5:44 am