Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: May 15, 2026, 8:42 AM ET

Scottish Premiership: Title Race to Final Day

The Scottish Premiership title race collapsed into utter chaos on Wednesday when Kelechi Iheanacho's controversial 100th-minute penalty secured a 3-2 Celtic victory at Motherwell, sending the championship to a final-day showdown with Hearts. The decision has reignited fierce debate over VAR's role in defining two separate title battles, with both the English Premier League and Scottish Premiership experiencing contentious calls within days of each other. Hearts remain unbeaten in the race and are 90 minutes from a first Scottish title since 1960, a feat that would also mark the first championship for a club outside Glasgow in over four decades. Hearts owners have called for the title to be "decided by the players on the pitch" rather than match officials, while Celtic's manager insists his side have earned the right to the final whistle. Hearts beat Falkirk on Thursday but the title wait drags on, with McInnes and O'Neill publicly maintaining calm as the drama builds. On the VAR front, three more errors were confirmed by the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel, taking the season's total to, and Pep Guardiola said he has "never trusted anything" with referees and VAR after pivotal decisions in his own title race.

Premier League & Championship: Late Drama, Managerial Moves

A stoppage-time winner from Stina Blackstenius sealed a controversial 1-0 Arsenal victory over Everton in the Women's Super League, while in the men's game three more VAR errors pushed the season's mistake tally to 23 and underscored the growing crisis in officiating. In the Championship, both Hull and Southampton are selling play-off final tickets despite the EFL's Spygate investigation into whether the game can proceed as scheduled on 23 May, with Middlesbrough potentially replacing Southampton at Wembley. Meanwhile, Manchester City crushed rivals Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Youth Cup final, with Reigan Heskey scoring the decisive goal, and the BBC will stream the replay on Thursday after the FA reportedly allowed Man City to take control of the fixture. Michael Carrick, Manchester United's caretaker manager, has been shortlisted for the Premier League Manager of the Season award after just 15 league games in charge, and the club is ready to open talks about making his appointment permanent. Carrick's achievement has drawn comparisons to how caretaker managers like Phil Brown and Shaun Clark navigated pressure, while his selection has placed him alongside elite candidates.

Chelsea & Women's Football Transitions

Sam Kerr is set to leave Chelsea when her contract expires this summer, ending her spell as the club's all-time top scorer in the Women's Super League and marking the end of the biggest transfer in WSL history when she arrived from Australia in 2020. Katie McCabe will also depart Arsenal at the end of the season, leaving Renee Slegers' side without two of their most experienced attackers as they head into the close season without a trophy. Tottenham, meanwhile, are preparing to build on their most successful WSL campaign, while Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw leads the eight-strong player-of-the-season shortlist. In the men's game, Anthony Gordon has agreed to join Bayern Munich, with PSG also targeting West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes and Chelsea reportedly monitoring Real Sociedad's Ander Barrenetxea. Newcastle's League Cup-winning squad is beginning to fragment as more members depart, with the club struggling to retain the core that ended a 70-year trophy drought last season.

Real Madrid's Internal Crisis

Real Madrid are spiraling into a season of infighting and poor results, with Kylian Mbappé claiming he was told he was the club's "fourth-choice forward" after being benched and then booed by fans during a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo. Mbappé's demotion sparked further discord within the squad, and club president Florentino Perez called for elections at a tense press conference following a trophyless campaign. The turmoil extends beyond the pitch, with rumors of internal power struggles and dressing room fractures compounding a season that has left the club wanting more. Casemiro, now at Manchester United, called Gareth Bale the "most complete" player he has worked with while acknowledging Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest, adding another layer to the narrative of Real Madrid's diminishing dominance.

World Cup 2026: Preparations and Squad Selections

The 2026 World Cup is taking shape with significant developments on and off the pitch. Carlo Ancelotti has renewed his contract as Brazil coach through to the 2030 tournament, while France have omitted Camavinga and rewarded Christopher Mateta with a call-up. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has been named as an official World Cup sponsor, and the Trump administration has waived the $15,000 visa bond requirement for fans from certain countries holding World Cup tickets, though African supporters still face travel obstacles despite the U-turn. Inter Miami's Lionel Messi remains MLS's highest-paid player at $28M, and veteran Qatar forward Sebastián Soria could become the oldest outfield player at a World Cup at age 42. Meanwhile, Barcelona clinched LaLiga in El Clásico, and PSG extended their French league dominance by beating Lens 2-0 to claim a record-extending 14th Ligue 1 title, with sources indicating they are targeting Atlético Madrid's Julián Álvarez for next season.

Other Football News

Manchester United have rolled out their new home kit for the 2026-27 season ahead of their Champions League return. Aston Villa coach Unai Emery described Harvey Elliott's loan spell from Liverpool as "embarrassing for everyone involved", while Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma faces a World Cup doubt after missing the final two matches of the season. Seamus Coleman will end his 17-year Everton career