The Guardian

Extra investment agreed at latest WSL board meeting Calls for fully professional match officials have grown Women’s Super League clubs have agreed to a major funding increase for match officials but the wait for full-time referees in the English top tier is set to continue until 2029, the Guardian has learned. The extra investment, decided at the latest WSL Football board meeting, will focus on e…

From transfers to stadium works and even the training-ground dog, there is no doubting the Spaniard’s influence at the club If anyone doubts Mikel Arteta’s status as No 1 at Arsenal in the week he committed his future to the club until 2030 , just ask Win the dog. The chocolate labrador who played a starring role in the celebrations when Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions in May has be…

Head coach pleased ‘everyone bought in’ to new ideas Jarell Quansah says: ‘We can really dominate teams’ Thomas Tuchel believes England have unlocked a new level after moving forward with his tactical tweaks in the opening Nations League fixtures. The head coach wanted the players to retain their aggression, especially in the high press, to step on to the front foot and to harness the chaos often…

Championship winners only 16th in new IMG gradings NRL money contingent on London Super League side Runaway Championship winners London Broncos have been graded below even Barrow Raiders for next season – but they are still set to become the 15th team in an expanded Super League next season, the Guardian can reveal. The Broncos have swept aside the second tier in 2026 , winning all three domestic…

Premier League clubs, and their European rivals, left with a long list of absentees after a gruelling international break A four-match international break has presented a stress test. “The intensity of the squad, the athleticism of it, really, I think it’s designed for the elite,” said the Wales head coach, Craig Bellamy, on the completion of four matches in 11 days. Elite club coaches would disa…

Teams have always symbolized division within America. And the Fever have come to prominence during a time of dark political intensity It’s over for now, but no professional sports team spent more time receiving and drawing attention to itself than did the Indiana Fever this season. The Fever has broken, the team eliminated by the defending champion Las Vegas Aces for the second straight season, b…

A speech at Anfield in 2009 was met with boos but it led to a change in tack by Labour government and an apology from David Cameron Since dawn, visitors from as far afield as Australia had been laying flowers, scarves and messages underneath Anfield’s Eternal Flame. These Hillsborough memorial anniversary services were usually subdued and respectful affairs, with 10,000 mourners sitting on the Ko…

This long-awaited fight is happening exactly as intended: at the sweet spot where commercial potential meets a genuine absence of jeopardy The 1912 Olympic marathon was held in a brutal Scandinavian heatwave, and before long Shizo Kanakuri of Japan was flagging. His journey to Stockholm had been debilitating; he had barely trained and struggled to sleep. At around the 16-mile mark he finally gave…

While most supporters seem to want to get behind the club, some fear actions of the owners will divide fanbase Nicola Schofield, City fan for more than 40 years: One of my (million) concerns, as someone who feels angry with the owners, is if the owners’ strategy causes a split in the fanbase. I think everyone wants to get behind the club and team, but this is different to the experience of a rele…

Launch event marred by former NRL CEO calling world No 1 ‘Jacob’ Sinner Grand slam to add 700 seats amid focus on comfort as well as growth New Tennis Australia chief executive Andrew Abdo pledged more shade and more seats for outer courts at the Australian Open in 2027, as the former rugby league administrator believes his background as a tennis outsider will fuel the tournament’s “relentless pu…

National FA refers Soukphachan Lueanthala to police Accused of helping group during summer tournament A Laos international has been arrested in connection with allegations of match-fixing during the 2026 Asean Championship after the country’s football federation referred suspected bribery, illegal gambling and match manipulation to the authorities. Soukphachan Lueanthala, a winger who featured fo…

Rays sweep Yankees 3-0 after fan interference call Dodgers eliminate Braves to keep three-peat bid alive Ramírez leads Guardians past Sox to avoid sweep Victor Mesa Jr hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Max Fried in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-3 on Wednesday night with the help of a fan interference call to complete a three-game sweep of their American Le…

Reese scores 23 as Atlanta beat Liberty in overtime Dream move within one win of first finals since 2013 Valkyries take 2-0 lead over defending champion Aces Angel Reese scored 23 points, Naz Hillmon made the go-ahead layup with 20.8 seconds left in overtime and the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the WNBA semi-finals. Reese scored six of he…

The Test series shapes as one of unforced errors and modest scores with both sides unconvincing with the bat and relying on their bowling attack Lost among the looking back to Australia’s Test tour of South Africa in 2018, there lies a similarity to the team about to take on that challenge in 2026. The previous side relied on a primo bowling quartet of Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and…

Australia coach Les Kiss calls up Isaac Henry to start at Eden Park New Zealand hit hard by injury before home rugby international Australia coach Les Kiss called up rookie Isaac Henry and retained star back Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing in a settled team named Thursday to face New Zealand. Four-Test Queensland Reds midfielder Henry will start at outside centre in the first Bledisloe Cup Test…