Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: July 30, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

European Club Transfers and Signings

Real Madrid have signed forward Carlos Espí from Levante on a five-year contract. The Spanish giants have also agreed a deal with Fulham for forward Gonzalo García agreed a deal and are close to another move for midfielder César Palacios. Manchester City are reportedly targeting Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi as a potential replacement for Rodri, with Premier League clubs also monitoring Chelsea's Liam Delap. Tottenham Hotspur is looking to complete "another bomba" transfer, according to head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Sandro Tonali took "10 minutes" to decide to join Tottenham after meeting manager Roberto de Zerbi, a club-record £100m signing. Chelsea have completed the signing of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £51m. John Stones has joined Italian Serie A champions Inter Milan on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract. AS Monaco has signed Matthis Abline from Nantes, potentially forming a forward line with Folarin Balogun sign Abline. Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare has joined Ajax on a season-long loan with an option for a permanent move. Burnley winger Luca Koleosho has left Turf Moor to sign for Ligue 1 club Paris FC. Nottingham Forest is close to completing a deal for Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande close in on defender. Arsenal is increasingly confident of signing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United following the exit of manager Eddie Howe. Newcastle United's WSL 2 side has signed Scotland forward Martha Thomas for an undisclosed fee. Charlton Athletic has signed full-back Ashleigh Neville from Leicester City on a two-year deal.

Club and Player Updates

David Gray's Hibernian were booed off in Kosovo but have since delivered a strong second-leg performance, leading to cheers from the home crowd. Both Hibernian and Motherwell have progressed in the Conference League qualifiers. Senne Lammens has cut his holiday short to return to training with Manchester United ahead of the new season. Marcus Rashford has returned to Manchester United after his loan spell at Barcelona concluded bids adiós. Joe Gomez is expected to miss the start of Liverpool's Premier League campaign through injury, though it is unlikely to impact the club's transfer plans. Harvey Elliott remains unsure about his long-term future at Anfield after a challenging loan spell at Aston Villa unsure on future. Liverpool has gone back to the 1980s for inspiration for their 2026-27 away jersey. Liverpool continued their winning pre-season under Andoni Iraola by beating Wrexham 1-0. Milos Kerkez shared insights into the changes new boss Andoni Iraola is implementing at Liverpool during their US preseason tour. Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan discussed investment, transition, and FSG's future plans with BBC Sport on FSG. Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool should prioritize replacing Mohamed Salah rather than signing Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool is set to open talks with PSG regarding a potential deal for Bradley Barcola. Rio Ngumoha has shown promise for Liverpool, potentially serving as a replacement for Mohamed Salah amidst rumors linking Bradley Barcola to the club. Callum McGregor, the new captain of Celtic, expressed his desire for the team to win the league "in a bit more style" this season. Martin O'Neill insists Celtic will make more signings this summer, emphasizing quality over quantity. Rangers have completed the signing of centre-back Olwethu Makhanya from Philadelphia Union for around £3m. Lawrence Shankland described being named the new captain of Rangers as a "huge honour". South Africa defender Olwethu Makhanya has become Rangers' eighth summer signing, joining from Philadelphia Union for an undisclosed fee. Rangers have accepted a bid from Anderlecht for winger Oliver Antman, while Celtic's offer for Benjamin Arthur has been rejected. Steven Pressley has signed a new contract with Dundee but warned of future challenges for the club. St Mirren manager Craig McLeish has been charged by the Scottish FA for comments made about referee Sean Murdoch. Simo Valakari is instructing his St Johnstone players to be "solid and streetwise" for their return to the Scottish Premiership. Ryan Stevenson has delivered a harsh assessment of Wouter Vrancken's start at Hearts, citing a chastening Champions League elimination. Sturm Graz outclassed Hearts in the Champions League qualifiers, leading to concerns about a potentially long season for the club.

International Football and Governance

UEFA has threatened to boycott the World Cup if Gianni Infantino proceeds with his proposal to sell a stake in the tournament and could receive the first private World Cup funds by the end of October. FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Argentina for potential breaches of regulations during the World Cup final and for displaying a Falklands banner. The United States Soccer Federation is nearing a decision regarding Mauricio Pochettino's future as head coach of the U.S. men's national team. The U.S. men's national team needs a coach soon, regardless of Pochettino's status. Lionel Messi returned to Inter Miami on Wednesday, ten days after Argentina's World Cup final loss. Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he turned down the chance to coach Italy, stating his commitment to leading Brazil. France has appointed Zinedine Zidane as their new coach, despite his last job ending in 2021. Roberto Mancini has apologized for his previous departure after being rehired to coach the struggling Italian squad. Brazil's sports court has suspended player Víctor Gabriel until Cruzeiro forward Gabriel Pec returns to training following an injury sustained from the defender's foul. Goalkeeper Matt Freese has not yet recovered from the United States' World Cup exit after a loss to Belgium in the round of 16. The 2026 World Cup has concluded, prompting discussions about the greatest kits in the tournament's history. Major League Soccer is preparing for a new era following the success of the World Cup in the United States, including a calendar shift and the departure of its commissioner. Premier League clubs have agreed to a funding proposal they will present to the EFL. Kick It Out received a record 1,744 reports of discrimination in the 2025/26 season.

Other Sports News

Rickie Fowler and Patrick Cantlay are in contention after the first round of the Rocket Classic in Detroit, with Peter Malnati threatening a sub-60 score. England fought back to defeat South Africa 58-54 and reach the netball semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. England dominated Tonga 94-32 in a crucial Pool A game at the Commonwealth Games. England's Campbell set a Commonwealth Games record en route to a gold medal. Southern Brave men's team secured their first win in The Hundred after defending 128 runs against Birmingham Phoenix. Southern Brave maintained their unbeaten record in The Hundred with a 24-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix. Trent Rockets handed Welsh Fire their first defeat of the season in The Hundred in a one-sided match. Trent Rockets defeated Welsh Fire by eight wickets in Cardiff to secure their second win in the women's competition. Golfer Trey Mullinax has received a six-month ban for a doping violation. LIV Golf's season finale in Michigan will proceed as planned. Jockey Hollie Doyle previews the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood, highlighting Raider as a potential contender. Diamond Necklace extended its unbeaten record with a dominant performance in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Jeeno Thitikul raced into an early lead at the AIG Women's Open, while Charley Hull had a mixed start. Nelly Korda believes a home victory for Charley Hull at the AIG Women's Open would be beneficial for golf but is focused on her own major success. Lydia Ko aims to "channel her inner Foxy" and pursue more major success at the AIG Women's Open. Anna Nordqvist wants to concentrate on her AIG Women's Open performance after opting out of being a playing captain for Team Europe shattered. The race for Team Europe selection for the Solheim Cup will culminate at the AIG Women's Open. Jockey Frankie Dettori previews the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has raised questions about his dominance in the sport after winning the World Matchplay Darts. Sebastian Bialecki secured his second PDC ranking title by defeating Mario Vandenbogaerde 8-6 in the Players Championship 26 final. Boxer Jake Paul provided a tougher challenge for Anthony Joshua than Kristian Prenga, according to Nakisa Bidarian. Decorated British amateur boxer Kayla Allen will make her professional debut in London in September after signing with Zuffa Boxing. Chris Eubank Jr.'s negotiations for a fight in Nigeria this December are progressing well. Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris has the capability to launch a comeback and retain his title. The 2026 Formula 1 season may conclude in Europe if the final Middle Eastern races cannot be hosted due to the ongoing conflict. Kimi Antonelli is poised to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history as the 2026 season heats up. Jack Draper has received a wildcard for the National Bank Open in Montreal. Cameron Norrie advanced to the quarter-finals of the Los Cabos Open by defeating James Duckworth in straight sets. Cricketer at the center of the 'Clicky Ponting' allegations has been suspended and will not play for the foreseeable future.

League and Competition News

Huddersfield secured their second consecutive Betfred Super League victory by defeating Hull FC 22-16 at the Accu Stadium. St Helens confirmed that George Delaney will miss the remainder of the 2026 season due to injury. The new Scottish Premiership season is set to begin, with discussions on tactical trends and team-by-team storylines. The Scottish Premiership season kicks off with an A-Z guide for fans. Lawrence Shankland described being named the new captain of Rangers as a "huge honour". Ryan Stevenson has delivered a harsh assessment of Wouter Vrancken's start at Hearts, citing a chastening Champions League elimination. Sturm Graz outclassed Hearts in the Champions League qualifiers, leading to concerns about a potentially long season for the club. Manchester City will start their Women's Super League title defense against newly-promoted Birmingham City, while London City Lionesses will open against Manchester United. Tottenham's summer transfer activity indicates significant ambitions for the upcoming Women's Super League season. La Liga side Rayo Vallecano is prohibited from playing at their home stadium due to the risk of Legionnaires' disease among supporters.