Last updated: August 7, 2026, 2:55 AM ET

Football/Soccer Briefing — Past 24 Hours

NFL Preseason Kicks Off in Canton

The NFL preseason opened with a thriller as undrafted rookie Haynes King ran in on the final play to give the Carolina Panthers a 33-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame game. King's heroics capped a dramatic comeback that set the tone for an intriguing preseason slate, with the undrafted signal-caller immediately staking his claim for a roster spot. The Panthers' resilience in the exhibition opener offered an early glimpse of the competitive depth across NFL rosters as teams begin trimming their squads ahead of the regular season.

Transfer Window Heats Up Across Europe

Chelsea face a frantic final 25 days of the transfer window as they look to trim their bloated 41-man senior squad, with a host of fringe players facing uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge. The Blues' squad-clearing operation is one of the biggest storylines of the summer, with supporters eagerly awaiting which high-profile names will be shown the door before the deadline.

The Rodri saga continues to dominate headlines, with Barcelona given the green light to open talks with Manchester City over the Spain captain, according to ESPN sources. Barcelona are now set to approach City directly and are hopeful they can beat Real Madrid to the midfielder's signature, while the player himself faces a monumental decision on his future should he opt to leave the Etihad this summer.

Mohamed Salah has made a shock move to Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer, ending his Liverpool career in a deal that has sent ripples through the Premier League. The Egyptian's decision to trade the Premier League for Türkiye raises serious questions about where Liverpool go from here with time running out in the window.

Liverpool could also rival Arsenal in the chase for Ezri Konsa, according to Friday's newspaper reports, while the Reds have no intention of pursuing Djed Spence this summer. Elsewhere, Arsenal and Manchester United have sent scouts to watch Brazilian youngster Kaua Elias, with the transfer gossip mill in full swing.

Leeds United have completed a club-record deal for goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City, a significant statement of intent from the Yorkshire club. Micky van de Ven is meanwhile close to agreeing a new five-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur, securing another key piece of their long-term project.

Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku has become the latest player to commit his future to the club after signing a new contract until 2031, while Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle says a decision about Bruno Guimaraes' future was "already made" before he even arrived at the club. Manchester United are reportedly looking at a move for USMNT's Antonee Robinson as they seek defensive reinforcements.

Bournemouth have announced the signing of right-back Juanlu Sanchez from Sevilla in a deal worth up to £11.1m, while Swansea City have signed free agent Ross Stewart on a three-year deal following his departure from Southampton. Millwall have brought in Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes on a one-year deal after his contract with Charlton Athletic expired, and Birmingham City have signed France youth international Chancelle Effa Effa from Le Havre for £100K.

In a quirky development, former AC Milan and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato is part of a consortium set to buy a majority stake in League Two club Northampton Town. The most romantic signing of the summer came early, though, as Raul Jimenez returned to Wolves at 35 — a move that means so much to the club's supporters.

Arsenal's forward search continues after the Vinicius Junior dream ended, with the club now weighing alternatives after missing out on both Morgan Rogers and the Real Madrid star. Real Madrid have meanwhile splashed out on World Cup star Yan Diomande, adding him to a forward line that already features Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. Hirving "Chucky" Lozano is finalizing a deal to join the LA Galaxy on loan from San Diego FC, while Liverpool legend Ian Rush has urged patience for new boss Andoni Iraola, saying he deserves time to succeed at Anfield but should still target silverware in his debut campaign.

Scottish Clubs Face European Test

Rangers suffered a chastening 2-1 defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok in Europa League qualifying, with Derek McInnes still searching for his first win as manager and admitting his side were "guilty of beating ourselves" after conceding cheap goals. The Polish test proved too much for the Ibrox side, whose Europa League hopes have been dealt a significant blow. Yokota was handed his Rangers debut in the match, but the night belonged to the Polish side.

Hearts endured an even more bruising evening in Lisbon, as their hopes of progressing in the Europa League were all but ended by a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Benfica. The Scottish Premiership side were outclassed from start to finish against the Portuguese giants, while Hibs secured a vital win and Motherwell were held in Helsinki — a night of mixed results that dominated the Scottish football podcast and post-match reaction shows.

FIFA Leadership Under Fire

The world players' union FIFPRO has condemned Gianni Infantino's "abuse of presidential power" and called for change at the top of FIFA following his botched World Cup stake sale plans. FIFA has said it apologized for errors made over the failed plan, with senior staff in attendance at a summit in Morocco reaffirming their support for the president. UEFA's boycott of FIFA tournaments still stands, with the FA now joining them in opposing Infantino's re-election next year. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also said he no longer has confidence in the FIFA president, adding to the mounting pressure on the soccer leader after his abandoned stake sale proposal.

Women's Football Developments

Emma Hayes has urged US Soccer to prioritize the U.S. Under-20 Women's national team at this year's World Cup to help American youth players match the development of top European teams. In a crossover moment for the sport, the new season of "Ted Lasso" was filmed at a real-life NWSL club for a cameo that serves as a key plot point in the show, boosting women's soccer visibility.

Manchester United have appointed Eva Olid to take over as manager less than a month out from the WSL season, a strategic shift that raises questions about the club's direction. Defender Gabby George has completed a move to Brighton from Manchester United before the start of the season, while Liverpool have signed Spanish midfielder Natalia Ramos from CD Tenerife Femenino, subject to visa approval. Our writers have also looked at each WSL club's transfer business and proposed a big question they should be asking themselves ahead of the new campaign.

Around the Leagues

Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal players were "fuming" after defensive errors saw them fall to a 3-1 preseason defeat to Real Betis in Dublin. Spain "deserves" to host the 2030 World Cup final, according to the country's sports minister Milagros Tolón, while Argentina has announced 15 July as National Football Teams Day to mark their 2026 World Cup semi-final victory over England.

The Carabao Cup is back for the 2026/27 season with every first-round tie available to watch live on Sky Sports, and the curtain raiser delivered a shock as Walsall stunned Bristol City in the first round. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is impressed with the maturity shown by Northern Ireland international Ceadach O'Neill, saying the club have "big hopes" for the youngster. The Scottish FA will no longer use a key match incident review panel, a significant change to how refereeing decisions are scrutinized north of the border.

In The Hundred, a Sikandar Raza masterclass inspired MI London to a derby win that condemned London Spirit to an early elimination, while Melie Kerr's defiant half-century and decisive death bowling from Hayley Matthews helped MI London women secure their belated first win of the season against the same opponents.

In sadder news, the football world has been mourning the death of Mark Hughes' son Alex, who was found collapsed at his home in Macclesfield and died of sudden adult death syndrome. Bangor striker Ben Arthurs is free to play in his club's first game of the new Irish Premiership season having completed a three-month anti-doping ban, while Ebbsfleet United's first three National League South games have been suspended because of the club's financial problems.

Beyond Football

Cameron Norrie has found his form again, five years on from winning his biggest title in Indian Wells, as the Briton dumped out third seed Alex de Minaur to reach the fourth round of the National Bank Open in Montreal. Eddie Hearn believes Henry Pollock has the superstar status to awaken rugby union's sleeping giant, but insists the England and Lions flanker must be rewarded in line with his market value, taking aim at the "terrible" salary cap restricting the sport's future.

The PDC World Championship dates have been confirmed for Friday December 11 to Sunday January 3 with a record 180,000 tickets on offer. Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is still expected to be announced in August, even if the all-British heavyweight clash is relocated to America, according to Hearn. Jake Paul's rematch with Tommy Fury "makes most sense" as the American star targets a return to boxing by January, while Aaron McKenna fights for the world title this Saturday with ambitions to unify at 160lbs and eventually fight at heavyweight. Former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has claimed a failed drugs test that resulted in his suspension was caused by exposure to cocaine being used by his nutritionist.

In cricket, returning captain Joe Root and England have named their 16-man squad for the opening two Tests against Pakistan, with Jacob Bethell missing the entire series while Ollie Pope and Brydon Carse have been recalled. Eve Muirhead has come out of retirement to chase another Winter Olympics gold, targeting the mixed doubles event in 2030 after a successful transition to another career.