Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: May 9, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

English Football Play-Offs & League Action

The Championship play-off semi-finals remain finely balanced after the first legs, with both ties ending goalless; Middlesbrough and Southampton played out a stalemate, leaving their promotion hopes in the balance, while Hull City and Millwall also finished at 0-0. Southampton manager Tonda Eckert stormed out of a press conference following the draw after facing pointed questions regarding 'spygate,' an issue that has since resulted in the club being formally charged by the EFL for breaching regulations by spying on Middlesbrough’s training sessions. Meanwhile, in the League One play-offs, Millwall's Alex Neil seeks a 'moment of magic' to reach Wembley for the first time in 24 years, contrasting with the drama at the top of the Scottish Premiership where Motherwell could determine the title destination between Hearts and Rangers.

The Premier League title race intensified as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta rallied supporters to "stay present and live the moment", though Manchester City were confirmed champions after a painful draw against Brighton. Liverpool supporters expressed their frustration as the team could only manage a 1-1 draw at Anfield against Chelsea, which ended the visitors' six-game losing streak, prompting visible boos from the Anfield crowd, leading the club to later reduce their planned ticket price rises following fan protests. Elsewhere, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes secured the FWA Footballer of the Year award, with teammate Scott McTominay's importance perhaps being overstated during Rodri's absence from Manchester City's recent draw at Everton.

European Football & Managerial Moves

Aston Villa reached the Europa League final after emphatically blowing away Nottingham Forest 4-0 at Villa Park, securing a 4-1 aggregate victory and setting up a defining moment for Unai Emery's side; qualification for the Champions League now rests on them winning that final, which could be secured for the sixth-placed team should they triumph. An astonishing achievement for English football sees clubs reaching the finals of three different European competitions in the same season for the first time, while in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain's qualification celebrations were marred by disturbances resulting in 127 arrests. In managerial news, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola heads Crystal Palace's shortlist to replace Oliver Glasner, while former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly in talks to return to the Bernabéu.

Women's Football & International Preparations

The Liverpool Women's Super League side are now just two wins away from lifting a trophy, providing a high note after what has been a difficult season overall. Manchester City striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, who was crowned the FWA Women's Player of the Season, remains coy about her future amid reported interest from Chelsea and NWSL teams ahead of her expected departure from City. On the international front, England are ramping up preparations for their home cricketing summer, with Charlie Dean stating the team can "set our standards" in their opening ODI against New Zealand.

Other Sports & Non-Football News

In tennis, Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat in Rome on his return from injury, falling to a Croatian qualifier 18 years his junior, while Iga Swiatek advanced at the Italian Open despite a contentious prize fund row that prompted support for a potential player boycott of Grand Slams. In snooker, Ronnie O’Sullivan cruised into the senior quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship with a 4-1 victory over Ken Doherty, and remarkably, made his debut at the World Seniors Championship by advancing to the semi-finals. Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy moved into contention at the Truist Championship after posting a second-round, pulling within four shots of leader Sungjae Im, while he also bluntly questioned the motivations of players who choose to remain with LIV Golf rather than return to the PGA Tour.