Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: August 15, 2026, 10:25 PM ET

Manchester United Pre-Season Woes Deepen

Manchester United suffered a 4-2 preseason defeat to AC Milan, with manager Michael Carrick offering no excuses after the loss. Marcus Rashford returned to action during the match, though it was not enough to prevent the defeat. Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty for the second consecutive preseason friendly, highlighting ongoing struggles in front of goal. Carrick acknowledged the need for more signings, emphasizing that the club "want" and "need" to do more transfer business before the September 1 deadline.

Transfer Market Moves and Rumors

Free agent Jadon Sancho is believed to prefer a move abroad despite receiving offers from Premier League clubs. Arsenal are leading the race for Brighton midfielder Jack Hinshelwood, while Barcelona is reportedly preparing a third bid for Rodri, though Manchester City have rejected the latest offer. Galatasaray have submitted a €45million ($51.8m) bid for Gabriel Martinelli, while Arsenal have invited offers for both Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri.

Tottenham Hotspur Developments

Tottenham have appointed a new director of football amid ongoing injury concerns that saw the club rack up 1,005 injury days last season. Djed Spence has completed his transfer from Tottenham to Inter Milan, signing a five-year deal with the Serie A club. Cristian Romero has announced his departure from Spurs ahead of his move to Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea's Pre-Season and Transfer Activity

Chelsea secured a 3-1 friendly win over Real Sociedad in Xabi Alonso's first game in charge at Stamford Bridge, though Enzo Fernandez was booed by sections of the home support. Morgan Rogers scored on his Chelsea debut, marking a promising start under the new manager. Chelsea have reportedly set a deadline for clubs to bid £120m for Fernandez, though Manchester City appear unlikely to meet the asking price.

West Ham United's Record-Breaking Signing

West Ham broke the EFL transfer record by paying £22m to sign Celtic's Belgium international midfielder Arne Engels. The club is preparing for their first Championship campaign since 2011-12, with owner David Moyes facing boardroom challenges as they aim for immediate promotion back to the Premier League.

La Liga and European Football

Celta Vigo postponed their LaLiga opener against Osasuna due to a fungus outbreak on their pitch, a decision later confirmed by La Liga after pitch inspections. Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid are among the big names missing from LaLiga's opening weekend, leaving fans searching for alternative storylines. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham have praised new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, with Mbappe saying the coach "knows how to win."

Scottish and EFL Football

Rangers manager Derek McInnes confirmed that funds are available to strengthen the squad, despite the club's recent Europa League exit. Celtic eased into the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals with a 4-0 victory over Dundee United, while Kilmarnock came from behind twice to defeat Ayr United 3-2 in a classic encounter. Sunderland agreed a £25.6m fee to sign left-back Dayann Methalie from Toulouse, bolstering their defensive options.

EFL Opening Day Results

Bolton secured their first Sky Bet Championship win since March 2019 with a 2-1 victory over Preston, thanks to first-half goals from Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale. Sheffield United and Birmingham were held to a goalless draw at Bramall Lane, marking an underwhelming start to the Championship season for both clubs. Stockport eased to a sparkling 3-1 League One opening-day win at Plymouth, while Huddersfield claimed a 3-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon despite being reduced to ten men.

League One and League Two Highlights

Charlton secured a 2-1 victory over Derby thanks to Tyreece Campbell's 80th-minute winner, continuing his impressive start to the new season. QPR came from behind to beat Portsmouth 3-1, with Ilias Chair scoring twice to claim their first win at Fratton Park in 26 years. Newport enjoyed a dream start to their League Two campaign with a 3-0 home win over newly-promoted Rochdale under new manager Hayden Mullins.

Pre-Season Friendlies and International Action

PSV Eindhoven earned their first victory of the Dutch league season thanks to a combined effort from United States teammates Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi, who combined for the winning goal. Trabzonspor launched their Turkish Süper Lig campaign with a 1-1 draw at Kasımpaşa, with Mohamed Salah making his debut as a second-half substitute. Tottenham maintained their unbeaten pre-season run with a 3-0 home win over Hoffenheim, courtesy of a Mikey Moore brace.

Women's Football and Other News

Manchester City have bolstered their squad this summer but face growing competition in the Women's Super League as they aim to defend their title. Wrexham have set clear ambitions for the coming campaign after narrowly missing out on a Championship play-off spot last season. Leicester City have been put up for sale for more than £200m, with owner King Power hoping to sell the club after 16 years.

International Rugby and Cricket

Bangladesh moved to within sight of one of the biggest wins in their Test history after Australia stumbled to 161-4 at stumps on day three of the first Test in Darwin, still 67 runs behind. Tanzid Hasan posted his maiden century in just his second Test to help guide Bangladesh to 351-6 at stumps on Friday. Pakistan warmed up for their first Test against England at Headingley with a seven-wicket win over a County Select XI, with Saud Shakeel hitting an unbeaten hundred and Imam-ul-Haq scoring.

Golf and Tennis Updates

Scottie Scheffler will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis as he looks to complete his first win since January. Novak Djokovic suffered defeat and struggled physically in his first match since Wimbledon as he was upset by Thiago Agustin Tirante in a sapping three-set contest at the Cincinnati Open. Iga Swiatek claimed her first title of the season with a dominant 6-2 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina in the final of the National Bank Open in Toronto.

Racing and Other Sports

Coppull stepped up in distance to land a second Group Two of his career under an enterprising ride from Hector Crouch, who completed a big-race double in the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. Trawlerman, winner of the Gold Cup at Ascot last year, has been retired after picking up an injury at Goodwood. Jonny Clayton beat compatriot Gerwyn Price 8-4 to win the New Zealand Darts Masters in Auckland.

Formula 1 and Motorsport

Formula 1 returns after its summer break as the second half of the 2026 season begins with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli is on course to become Formula 1's youngest-ever world champion, with his potential triumph ranking among the sport's biggest surprise title wins in recent history. Cadillac provided unexpected news during the summer break by removing Graeme Lowdon as team principal and replacing him with former Alpine sporting director Pat Fry.

Cricket and Baseball

England opener Emilio Gay bagged a pair on the second day of the Test match warm-up in Beckenham, while Pakistan captain Babar Azam suffered an injury scare. The Manchester Super Giants set up a meeting with Trent Rockets in The Hundred final after beating Sun Risers Leeds by 20 runs in the men's eliminator at The Kia Oval.

Community and Tributes

Tributes were paid to Finlay Tarling at the Volta a Portugal after the 19-year-old British cyclist died during the race on Friday. Jimmy Rimmer, European Cup winner and former Aston Villa and Manchester United goalkeeper, has died at the age of. Former Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has retired, citing the toxic debate around officials as a contributing factor to his decision to quit.

Managerial and Coaching News

Wrexham manager Dean Smith has set clear ambitions for the coming campaign after narrowly missing out on a Championship play-off spot last season. Danny Rohl explained his decision to leave Rangers for Red Bull Salzburg, where he hopes to win trophies and help develop young players. Sebastien Pocognoli is the frontrunner for the Scotland men's national team job.

Women's Football and International

Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina made four penalty saves against Morocco to help Cameroon reach the 2026 WAFCON final, earning praise from fans who want a statue built for her. The Chawinga sisters and Temwa, are the undoubted stars of Malawi's unexpected run to the final of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria will miss the 2027 Women's World Cup after South Africa and Ghana secured the inter-confederation playoff spots.

Rugby and Other Sports

The RFU has postponed the start of the competitive community game season until the week commencing Monday September 21 due to concerns about player welfare and pitch conditions. Super League has received an investment offer from the Australia Rugby League Commission (ARLC), which governs the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australia. St Helens produced a blistering second-half performance to stun Wakefield Trinity with a 46-16 victory, keeping their slim Super League play-off hopes alive.