The League Cup is at risk of being scrapped as part of the planned revamp of the women’s professional game. The Guardian understands that the future of the League Cup is in doubt as the Women’s Professional Leagues Ltd (WPLL), the organisation responsible for the Women’s Super League and Championship, explores possible league expansion and … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature There is another first leg of a quarter-final taking place already today between Barcelona and Wolfsburg. Defending champions Barca are winning 3-1. Share Arsenal fell to a 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final yesterday. You … Read more
After Phil Jones sent his final message to the Manchester United players’ WhatApp group after the announcement of his retirement last summer, he “gave it a minute”. There was no response and so he departed. Phil Jones has left the group. “I was like ‘gone, gone, gone, I’m gone’,” he says with a laugh, “No … Read more
Sebastian Coe feels he has momentum as the race to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee reaches its final hours. Most experts believe the seven-strong contest to be the next leader of global sport is on a knife-edge, with Coe one of the “big three” alongside the Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch, who … Read more
The men’s Tour de France will return to Britain in July 2027 with a spectacular city-centre Grand Départ in Edinburgh and three stages that trace a route from Scotland through England and into Wales. It will be the third Tour race start in Britain in the last 20 years, after London in 2007 and Yorkshire … Read more
The Rugby Football Union chief executive, Bill Sweeney, has threatened to take England away from Twickenham and move to Milton Keynes or Birmingham because of licensing restrictions after missing out on lucrative Beyoncé concerts at the stadium. Sweeney has warned that if Richmond council does not grant the RFU permission to stage more non-rugby events … Read more
(LIN)FIELD OF DREAMS Which football club is the best in the world? Come on, let’s get this straightened out, once and for all. A good place to start would be the current club world champions, Real Madrid – who can also point to 15 European Cups, 36 league titles and a world-beating 400 million subscribers … Read more
Over the weekend the National Women’s Soccer League started its 13th regular season, marking the 19th year of top-flight women’s soccer in the US (together with the WPS and WUSA that came before it). As is typical for an ever-expanding, aspirational league that still sees itself as a “scrappy startup”, the new year set off … Read more
The Professional Tennis Players’ Association came into existence on the eve of the 2020 US Open and at the height of pandemic restrictions. After an inauspicious start, the association co-founded by Novak Djokovic has spent time building its professional structures, finances and player support while trying to gain influence in the sport. The PTPA ostensibly … Read more
Phil Foden remains England’s enigma. The Manchester City attacker has often been inspired for his club and insipid for his country. He was the best offensive player in the Premier League last season, scoring 27 goals in all competitions, but he flattered to deceive during England’s baffling run to the final of Euro 2024. A … Read more