Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: August 23, 2026, 8:45 AM ET

Premier League Opening Weekend

Manchester United suffered a humbling 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City in their Premier League season opener, raising immediate questions about the campaign ahead. The loss exposed significant problems, and while Carrick insisted it was not the time to panic, the performance left fans concerned. The manager focused on the "good things" his side had done despite the dismal display, but the "lacklustre" performance saw United slip to defeat at the KCOM Stadium. The shock result has been ranked among the most surprising opening-game losses in Premier League history, as BBC Sport notes. Hull City, widely tipped for relegation, enjoyed a dream return to the top flight, with their manager saying "we are trying to prove people wrong" after the victory. The Tigers' defensive rock Ajayi was instrumental in the stunning result. Meanwhile, United boss Carrick remained calm despite the setback, and a viral Manchester United fan's haircut challenge continues following the loss.

Arsenal's Title Defence Begins

Arsenal more than looked the part of reigning champions, strolling past Coventry 3-0 to kick off the Premier League season with a statement win. The Gunners demonstrated they remain the team to beat, with a commanding performance that sent a warning to the rest of the league. The victory was a perfect start for Mikel Arteta's side as they look to defend their crown, and the attacking fluidity on display suggests they will be a formidable force once again this term.

Tottenham's Dismal Start

A woeful Tottenham started their new Premier League season dismally with a 3-0 loss at Brentford despite a big summer of spending. The heavy defeat has led to questions about whether cash alone can fix a losing mentality, as chief football writer Phil McNulty analyses the deeper issues at the club. Player ratings from the match highlighted a nightmare display for Tonali, while Brentford's stars shone brightly in the comprehensive victory.

Everton and Leeds Impress

Everton made a winning start to the new Premier League campaign by beating Crystal Palace 2-0 thanks to classy goals from their attacking duo. The result provided a boost for the Toffees, who will be hoping for a more comfortable season after recent struggles. Meanwhile, Leeds United secured a winning start to their Premier League return, with a stunning late free-kick from their midfielder snatching a 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest. The win means Leeds can aim to thrive rather than just survive this time around, with exciting new signings and growing belief at Elland Road.

West Ham's Nightmare Start

West Ham "let down" their fans as they lost 2-1 to Charlton in their first Championship home match this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo left to rue a late penalty miss. The Hammers' perfect start to the season was maintained by their opponents in a pulsating derby that piled pressure on the manager. The defeat has raised concerns about West Ham's prospects, with pundit analysis suggesting Millwall are the team to beat in the EFL.

Championship Round-Up

Hull City continued their impressive start to life back in the Championship, while Derby County remained unbeaten two games into their return after goals from their attacking duo earned a 2-2 draw at Cardiff. Wolves secured their first victory of the season with a convincing 3-1 success, while Wrexham were kept waiting for their first win as they drew 1-1 with Watford in front of owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Southampton secured a dramatic late 3-1 victory over Stoke, while QPR and Bolton played out a goalless draw. Middlesbrough were stunned by two goals in six second-half minutes, and Swansea and Sheffield United played out a dour 0-0 draw. A shock 2-1 defeat saw a former Premier League champion booed off at home.

Scottish Premiership

Dundee enjoyed another memorable trip across the road as they secured a deserved 2-0 derby victory away to Dundee United to move joint-top of the fledgling Scottish Premiership table. The win continued Tony Docherty's redemption arc at the club, with the head coach saying he is "immensely proud" of his players after another derby triumph.

European Football

Bayern Munich laid down a marker for the new season as they beat Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to win the German Supercup, with Michael Olise leading the charge. In Serie A, Inter Milan launched their title defence with a 4-1 opening-day win against newly promoted Monza, with John Stones making his debut in the victory. In LaLiga, Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory thanks to a 90th-minute goal from new signing, giving the reappointed manager a winning return. Jose Mourinho has defended Vinicius Jr, saying the star is "bullied" after he clashed with opponents and the crowd during the match. Mourinho also urged the winger to control his emotions when being provoked. Juventus coach has brushed off reported interest from Arsenal in Kenan Yildiz, saying no amount of money could prize him away this summer.

Transfer News and Rumours

Nottingham Forest have bid £70m for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, while Manchester City continue their search for a No. 9. Pep Guardiola said the club need to find a "new Rodri" following the departure of their midfield linchpin, as City plan a busy transfer window. Liverpool are eyeing Yankuba Minteh but have Endrick as a backup plan should the deal fail. Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez is open to an Arsenal transfer, while the Gunners pair are in "frequent contact" with the player according to Sunday's newspapers. Atletico CEO claimed Alvarez has been badly advised in seeking to push through a move to Barcelona. Aston Villa are close to signing free agent Joshua Kimmich, who left Bayern Munich in the summer after eight years. Celtic continue their pursuit of Serie A midfielder Gineitis as Rangers prepare for a big name departure. Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson admitted there are no guarantees of further signings despite discussions with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The club's manager said he had spoken with the owners about strengthening the squad ahead of Saturday's draw. Cardiff City are expecting to complete a signing before their Carabao Cup second-round tie, according to their manager.

MLS and International

Lionel Messi's 14th goal of the season wasn't enough to prevent Inter Miami from slumping to their fourth loss in their last five games, courtesy of Toronto FC. Inter Miami's players have been fined by MLS for making contact in the head and neck area of opponents in separate incidents during second-half stoppage time in a 2-2 draw. FIFA president Gianni Infantino defied a request by one of his vice presidents to stay away from an under-14 soccer event, as reported by ESPN. The FIFA president was also asked to stay away from a youth football tournament by the host nation's president.

Formula 1 and Other Sports

Max Verstappen starts on pole for the Dutch Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli, with live updates available from Zandvoort. Verstappen beat the Mercedes duo to pole in a hectic end to qualifying, as reported by Sky Sports. The championship leader feels it's "nice to know there's a possibility" he could stay in the battle to retain his Formula 1 world championship after taking pole, as he eyes a title fightback. Lewis Hamilton believes his Ferrari car is in a "better place" after changes going into qualifying and that the team can still be "optimistic" for the race despite starting on the third row, as he remains hopeful.

In cricket, Australia responded to their shock opening loss to Bangladesh with a thumping innings victory inside two days to tie the two-Test series at 1-1. Ben Stokes starred again with bat and ball as Durham boosted their promotion hopes with a crushing 338-run win. In boxing, Eddie Hearn has said that "no-one can pull out" of the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. In rugby, the All Blacks outscored hosts South Africa five tries to one to win the first Test 33-16 and go one-up in the four-match series. St Helens called on six different try-scorers to beat Castleford 36-12 and keep their play-off hopes alive, despite finishing the match with only 10 men.

Tennis, Golf and Other News

The Cincinnati Open will host its first all-American women's final in 56 years after Coco Gauff and Madison Keys won their respective semi-finals. The dream team of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have signed up to the US Open mixed doubles championship, but the American great won't be playing in the women's singles. In golf, the world No. 2 pulled himself back into contention at the BMW Championship with a five-under 65 on day three. In horse racing, Daiquiri followed up Royal Ascot success with another lucrative victory in the Sky Bet Ebor at York, while Notable Speech bounced back to his brilliant best to claim his sixth Group One victory in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes. Fallon Sherrock claimed her first Women's Series title of 2026 in the absence of Greaves, as the duo shared the spoils at Events 17-18 of the PDC Women's Series.

Other Football News

Erling Haaland revealed a fresh haircut before Manchester City's Premier League curtain raiser, ditching his iconic long blonde hair in favour of a buzz cut in a viral social media post. Trent Alexander-Arnold says he still receives abuse from Liverpool fans online after leaving Anfield for Real Madrid 14 months ago. Usain Bolt is registered to play for a Sunday league team in Manchester, with the Olympic champion set to make another foray into football. Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim have broken a global record with their 109-match unbeaten run. A former West Brom midfielder has died at the age of 25 after collapsing during a match. Jean-Philippe Mateta is challenging the validity of the final 10 months on his Crystal Palace contract. Morton have had a rocky start to the season with seven straight defeats, while the fans' group running the Championship club are dealing with a shortfall in funding. A new stand at Wrexham has become symbolic of the club's ambition. Savinho's £75m move from Girona to Manchester City raises questions about the multi-club model. Liverpool are preparing to begin a season without Mohamed Salah for the first time in a decade, with Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo needing to step up. Barcelona want a No. 9 striker but have been unable to land their first-choice target, with statistical analysis suggesting who they should go for instead. Nottingham Forest's new manager suffered defeat in his first game, with a late goal for Leeds handing Glasner a losing start. West Ham's woes continued as they lacked guts and fight, while European soccer saw more matches across the continent on Sunday. European soccer recap showed a late winner in one of the opening weekend's matches. West Ham were beaten 2-1 by Charlton in their first Championship home match. Hull City start the season well with a victory over Manchester United as their manager says "we are trying to prove people wrong".