Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: July 31, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

Managerial Changes and Club News

Eddie Howe stepped down as head coach of Newcastle United after nearly five years in charge. Chelsea winger Mudryk has been cleared to return to play after his doping ban was resolved. Mudryk has not played since November 2024, but an appeal against his doping ban has now been successful. Swansea City coach Vitor Matos has agreed a new contract that ties him to the Championship club until 2030.

Transfer Speculation and Signings

Arsenal are increasingly confident of signing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United following the exit of manager Eddie Howe. Celtic have approach for Arne Engels while there is Everton interest in Alistair Johnston. West Ham in talks with Celtic over the signing of Arne Engels, with the Scottish club holding out for a deal worth around £25m for the midfielder. Bournemouth have agreed a deal worth up to almost £26m for Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva. Real Madrid have from Levante on a five-year contract. Real Madrid also agreed a deal with Fulham for forward Gonzalo García to join the Premier League club. Manchester City reportedly looking to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille as a potential replacement for Rodri. Sassuolo have reportedly Verona £10m for Kieron Bowie. Rangers are claimed to have accepted an offer from Al-Taawoun for Nedim Bajrami.

Player News and International Football

Cole Palmer stated he did watch England at the World Cup, despite not being selected for the 26-man squad, but admitted he fell asleep at halftime of the game against Mexico. Inter Miami Guillermo Hoyos will be discussing Lionel Messi's return to action following his 2026 World Cup participation with Argentina. Casemiro has labeled Lionel Messi the "god of football" and stated he joined Inter Miami to help the Argentina forward win more trophies. Chelsea have been fined £10 million ($13m) and handed a ban by the Football Association after admitting 74 breaches of its agent regulations. Aggie Beever-Jones and England forward, described her 2025-26 season as her "hardest" and faced a significant decision about her future. Marcus Rashford said goodbye to Barcelona after returning to Manchester United ahead of the new Premier League season.

FIFA and World Cup Plans

FIFA has that "nobody is selling football" and plans to continue the consultation process for its proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. FIFA intends to proceed with a consultation process for an expansion of the Men's World Cup to 64 teams, with documents indicating a decision is targeted for August 14. Former England Anita Asante believes that FIFA president Gianni Infantino's plans will make women's football "the first casualties". Prime Minister Burnham has stated that Gianni Infantino is "the wrong man" to lead FIFA, as criticism grows over the controversial investment plan. Senior FIFA and former U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro resigned on Friday in protest at FIFA's private equity investment plan. UEFA has threatened to boycott World Cups, raising questions about FIFA president Gianni Infantino's future and the implications of the current situation.

League and Cup Competitions

The new Scottish Premiership season begins on Friday, with questions remaining about whether any team can challenge Celtic and Rangers for the title. Heart Midlothian head coach Wouter Vrancken aims to replicate last season's strong Scottish Premiership performance despite his players needing to adapt to a new style of play. four teams the EFL season commences this weekend in the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup. Gray's Hibernian progressed in Europe after a strong second-leg display, turning jeers into cheers. Motherwell Hibernian have both progressed in the Conference League qualifiers.

Other Football News

Former striker Forlán has been appointed interim head coach of Uruguay's national team until March 2027. Inter Milan Jorge Mas has criticized Major League Soccer's Discovery List rule, stating he has advocated for its abolition for over two years. Legendary former Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi has died at the age of. Mullins leaves his role as Fulham Under-21 boss to become the new head coach of League Two side Newport County. Roberto de Zerbi has spoken about his "ultra" roots and the Brescia connection that he has brought to Tottenham.

Tennis and Golf

Cameron Norrie reached his first semi-final of 2026 after defeating Bernard Tomic 6-1 6-0 at the Los Cabos Open. Charley Hull she "does not care" about criticism regarding her pre-major caddie prank and is in contention for the AIG Women's Open title despite limited sleep. Chiara Tamburlini faces a nervous wait to see if she has qualified for Team Europe’s Solheim Cup side after missing the cut at the AIG Women’s Open.

Other Sports

Huddersfield secured their Betfred Super League victory with a 22-16 win over Hull FC. Rickie Fowler Patrick Cantlay are contending after the first round of the Rocket Classic in Detroit, where Peter Malnati threatened a sub-60 score.