The Guardian

Thirteen of the Damallsvenskan’s 14 teams are based in the south. For Piteå IF, rising costs are now the priority Piteå IF are entering their 17th season as a top-division side in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, but the challenge for them is getting tougher and tougher every year. And it is not a small budget compared to clubs such as Hammarby and Häcken who have, in recent years, been able to rely on t…

Scott O’Neil sends rallying cry to staff after reports McGinley says PGA Tour could now ‘play hardball’ LIV Golf has insisted the tour intends to continue “uninterrupted and at full throttle” this season amid claims its Saudi Arabian backers will imminently withdraw having funded the breakaway league to the tune of $5bn (£3.68bn). The future of the rebel tour was mired in confusion on Wednesday f…

The former UConn star’s draft night should have been about her talent. Instead, speculation shows how the league is still being viewed through the wrong lens Sign up for our WNBA 30 newsletter For the first time in a while, there was no consensus on who would go No 1 overall in the WNBA draft this year. When the Dallas Wings did make their pick, they chose Azzi Fudd , who had distinguished hersel…

Scotland’s tournament was overshadowed by off-field uncertainty but, says former international Beth Blacklock, the future is looking brighter “There were players who were definitely struggling,” says the former Scotland international Beth Blacklock of the contract uncertainty that surrounded the squad before their run to the 2025 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals . In pre-World Cup camps contract ta…

Supporters everywhere will be watching Sunday’s big game against Manchester City, united by nerves My father is a Liverpool fan. When he was watching a game I saw an advertisement for the Premier League broadcast and saw Thierry Henry scoring a goal and that was it. Continue reading...

The manager, set to depart after this season, transformed the Cherries into a legitimate talent factory and one of the Premier League’s most entertaining sides The walls of the Emirates could hardly contain Andoni Iraola’s beaming grin. As he crossed the touchline last Saturday after Bournemouth’s 2-1 win , his stride wasn’t one of rushing disbelief. He applauded the away support in between tousl…

The $95 bus trip to Foxborough highlights a tournament unique in modern times – one that ultimately makes no secret of its disdain for the paying public Like any journalist with an unerring nose for an offbeat feature, my interest was sharply piqued by this week’s announcement of the $95 bus ride . What magnificent accoutrements might conceivably justify the £70 fare for a half-hour journey from …

Longsuffering hooker, who warmed bench for 21 Tests and lost part of a thumb, is getting RFU recognition at last Initially, Andy Simpson thought it was a Saturday morning wind-up. Someone from the Rugby Football Union museum was phoning to tell him that, at the age of 71, he was finally a capped England player. Given he had retired without featuring in an officially recognised Test – “the first t…

Redevelopment of the National Sports Centre would be a boost to locals and those who have fought for its return “There were trees growing out of the main stand and on the indoor track and no one was doing anything about it,” says Jim Powell of the groundswell of despair at a crumbling Crystal Palace barely a couple of years after the Olympics were hosted to acclaim across the other side of London…

Sid Lowe is our Spanish football correspondent, based in Madrid, and has been covering a very busy beat for years. He will be answering your questions from 12pm BST Sid Lowe is the Guardian’s Spanish football correspondent , based in Madrid, and has been covering an increasingly busy beat for years. And after a busy week of action in the Champions League, La Liga and beyond, post your questions b…

Allegations relate to Liam McDonald’s time at Redditch They include a claim that he bet against his own team The Football Association has opened an investigation into allegations of a breach of betting regulations by the Kettering Town manager, Liam McDonald. The allegations are understood to be historic and relate to McDonald’s time as manager of Redditch a decade ago. They include a claim that …

Luther Davis, a national champion with the Crimson Tide, is said to have worn wigs and make-up to secure fraudulent loans A former University of Alabama national champion plans to plead guilty later this month to orchestrating an alleged scheme in which he impersonated NFL players and defrauded lenders out of nearly $20m. The alleged scam is described in detail by the US attorney for the northern…

The crowd were getting anxious and players are either missing or off form but they have still reached the Champions League semi-finals And so I am become a meme. Towards the end of this game, already booked for standing on the edge of the pitch whirling his arms in a balletic, immaculately groomed pose of horror, like an oversized wedding cake figurine at the world’s most distressing wedding, Mik…

Captain’s brave display helps Arsenal reach semi-final ‘We are not perfect we need to improve, that’s for sure’ Mikel Arteta praised his side’s durability after Arsenal reached back-to-back Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history and revealed that Declan Rice had come off his sickbed to play his part. Arsenal rarely looked like adding to their advantage from last week’s f…

A breathless, consistently thrilling game ended with Bayern Munich booking a semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain but that tie will be hard pushed to eclipse what happened here. Real Madrid were ahead three times through Arda Guler, twice, and Kylian Mbappé; they were pegged back by Aleksandar Pavlovic, Harry Kane and, at the death, Luis Díaz and in the end had only themselves to blame. Michael…