Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: May 17, 2026, 5:41 PM ET

Premier League & European Race

West Ham's relegation fears deepened significantly after a 3-1 loss at Newcastle that leaves Tottenham needing just a point from their final two matches to send the Hammers down, while Fulham's European ambitions effectively ended with a frustrating 1-1 draw at already-relegated Wolves. Brighton's continental hopes suffered a major setback when Dominic Calvert-Lewin's late winner secured Leeds a 1-0 victory, and Sunderland boosted their top-eight chances with a second-half fightback to defeat Everton 3-1 and climb to ninth place. Brentford kept their European dream alive as Dango Ouattara twice rescued points in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, while Liverpool's Champions League aspirations hang by a thread after Aston Villa's 4-2 victory at Anfield forced Arne Slot's side to sweat qualification on the final weekend.

FA Cup Final & Managerial Futures

Manchester City claimed their third consecutive FA Cup with a tense 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley, where January signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi proved decisive in Pep Guardiola's pursuit of a treble. Bruno Fernandes equaled the Premier League assists record with a 9/10 performance as Manchester United defeated Nottingham Forest 3-2, while the Portuguese midfielder's achievement tied him with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry. Guardiola insisted the Wembley triumph will not be his final appearance at the stadium as speculation surrounds his future, and interim Chelsea boss Calum McFarlane believes his team can replicate their strong showing against City from January.

Women's Football

Manchester City dominated the Women's Super League with an A-grade performance to claim the title, while Bunny Shaw said an emotional goodbye with two key goals. Sam Kerr bade farewell to Chelsea in style with a stunning winner against Manchester United, and the Blues finished third despite the victory. Mary Earps is closing on a WSL return as her exit from Paris St-Germain edges closer, while Tottenham secured their highest-ever WSL finish and now face the challenge of building on their successful campaign. Mallory Swanson returned to action for the first time in over 18 months after giving birth, declaring herself "a whole new person" ahead of World Cup preparations.

International Affairs

Neymar faced furious backlash after being wrongly substituted during Santos' 3-0 defeat by Coritiba, just a day before Brazil's World Cup squad announcement. Thomas Tuchel faces selection dilemmas for England's World Cup squad with several players making late pushes for inclusion, while key injuries threaten World Cup participation across multiple nations. Son Heung-min was named South Korea captain for his fourth World Cup appearance, and Tottenham's Mason Melia received his first senior Republic of Ireland call-up for upcoming friendlies against Qatar and Canada. Wilfried Zaha was omitted from Ivory Coast's World Cup squad, though four current Premier League players made the cut.

Managerial Movement

Chelsea moved quickly to secure Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a four-year deal, with the Spaniard facing pressing issues including squad rebuilding and establishing authority at Stamford Bridge. José Mourinho confirmed Real Madrid contact through agent Jorge Mendes as speculation grows about a potential return to the Bernabeu, where he could make Rodri his first signing. Manchester United opened talks with Michael Carrick over a two-year permanent contract after his impressive interim spell, while Martin O'Neill admitted uncertainty about his Celtic future despite masterminding their title triumph.

Transfer Market & Contract News

Robert Lewandowski will leave Barcelona when his contract expires in the summer, ending his three-year spell at Camp Nou. Cristiano Ronaldo's trophy wait continues after Al Nassr's 1-0 AFC Champions League Two final loss to Gamba Osaka. Casemiro played his final Manchester United game at Old Trafford in an emotional farewell that marked the end of his career turnaround at the club. Rasmus Højlund described his United goodbye as feeling "weird" and "emotional" after confirming his permanent Napoli switch, while Seamus Coleman will end his 17-year Everton career when his contract expires. Marcos Senesi confirmed his Bournemouth departure after his contract expires in the summer.

Scottish Football

Celtic completed their championship surge by catching Hearts after an eight-month, 32-game chase to claim their title, with Martin O'Neill hailing the achievement as he considers his future at Parkhead. Hearts reported serious abuse following the "disgraceful" pitch invasion at Celtic Park, claiming players and staff suffered "serious physical and verbal abuse" amid what they called a "menacing and threatening atmosphere". Rangers backed manager Danny Rohl while planning a "summer of substantial change" at Ibrox following their disappointing campaign, and Motherwell secured European football with a dramatic victory at Hibernian despite playing with ten men.

Additional Club News

Wayne Rooney may require surgery after injuring his wrist saving a Jordan Pickford shot during a BBC show recording, while Antoine Griezmann bid an emotional farewell to Atlético Madrid supporters after setting up the winning goal against Girona in his final home appearance. Christian Pulis