Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: August 21, 2026, 12:10 PM ET

Transfer News

Tottenham have agreed a deal worth up to £85 million ($116m) to sign Savinho from Manchester City, sources have told ESPN. The winger reportedly "wanted to leave" City, according to boss Enzo Maresca, with Spurs also exploring a potential double deal involving Omar Marmoush. In other transfer developments, Arsenal completed the £51m deal to sign defender Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa, despite already spending over £100m this summer. Aaron Wan-Bissaka joined Aston Villa on loan, with the Hammers also condemning a "divisive" chant about Israel's Solomon. Meanwhile, Barcelona have ended their pursuit of Julián Álvarez and are exploring alternative striker options, while Rodri completed a blockbuster transfer from Manchester City to the Catalan giants.

Premier League Updates

The 2026-27 Premier League season kicked off with defending champions Arsenal facing newly promoted Coventry City. Mikkel Arteta relishes the prospect of going from hunter to "the hunted" as Arsenal aim to defend their title, while confirming his five-step plan to create a dynasty. Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has shaped his squad tactically, dismissing suggestions of an easy start as "ridiculous." Chelsea and Sunderland remain the only Premier League clubs without a front-of-shirt sponsor, while Joao Pedro is set to sign a new contract until 2032.

European Football

Celtic took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League with stunning goals from Benjamin Nygren and Camilo Duran. Rangers face challenges in European competition, with manager Derek McInnes backing captain Lawrence Shankland to have a "big influence." Brighton were held to a goalless draw by Tromso in their Conference League play-off first leg, while the club's players covered fan tickets for their Arctic Circle match against Norwegian opponents. Hibernian left Belgium with belief after a spirited away performance against Gent.

Women's Football

The England Women U20s squad was named for the upcoming FIFA U20s Women's World Cup, despite threats of a boycott from European nations. Lia Walti returned to the WSL, criticizing Italian standards and saying she "missed the feeling of being valued as a footballer." Kate Cross announced her retirement from professional cricket at the end of the season, while WSL 2 clubs engaged in unique pre-season preparations including speed-dating and shark encounters.

International Cricket

England will resume their first Test against Pakistan on 366-8, leading by 195 runs. Joe Root's second spell as England Test captain began with his side skittling Pakistan for 171 at Headingley, with Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue each bagging five-wicket hauls. Harry Brook returned to the top of the ICC men's Test batting rankings following his performances.

Rugby League

England head coach Brian McDermott added Umyla Hanley and Hugo Savala to his performance squad ahead of the Rugby League World Cup. Hull KR are sweating on Mikey Lewis' availability after he was sin-binned on his return from a four-match ban. St Helens appointed Australia boss Kevin Walters as head coach on a three-year deal from the start of the 2027 Super League season.

Formula 1

Kimi Antonelli was fastest from Lando Norris in the only practice session at the Dutch Grand Prix as Formula 1 returned from its summer break. Lewis Hamilton urged his Ferrari team to "apply the pressure" to title rival Antonelli. Isack Hadjar is hopeful of returning for the Italian GP after a wrist injury forced him to miss the Dutch Grand Prix. George Russell stated his Mercedes seat "never felt under threat" from Max Verstappen.

Tennis & Golf

Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the Cincinnati Open after suffering a shock straight-sets defeat to Sara Bejlek. Carlos Alcaraz will make his comeback from a wrist injury at the US Open as he seeks to defend his title at Flushing Meadows. Rory McIlroy raced into a share of the early lead at the PGA Tour's BMW Championship, insisting there is still "a lot of work to be done." Lee Westwood hit back at McIlroy's comments questioning the value of LIV golfers, claiming them to be "typical" of the reigning Masters champion.

Boxing & MMA

Tyson Fury claimed his fight against Anthony Joshua is in serious doubt after his British heavyweight rival asked for "more money." Chris Billam-Smith expects to fight Jai Opetaia next year, if both are victorious in their upcoming bouts. Johnny Fisher's opponent was confirmed as Michael Pirotton ahead of his return at the Copper Box next month.

American Sports

Sporting Kansas City signed Brazilian forward André Luiz as a designated player to a five-year contract for what the club called a club-record transfer fee. Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev were among the big names knocked out of the Cincinnati Open. Coco Gauff impressed in her win over Ann Li to reach the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open.

Racing

Spirited Gesture and Angel In My Heart clashed at Newcastle in a busy day of flat racing. Kevin Blake's 33/1 Nunthorpe pick was among his selections for York's Ebor Festival. Kalpana just held on to land the Legends Global Yorkshire Oaks at York after a mighty scare from Sparan Nua. Item delivered a 10-1 surprise in the Juddmonte International at York, with Constitution River and Ombudsman finishing third and fourth respectively.

Snooker

Graeme Dott denied sexually abusing two children, branding the allegations "disgusting" in court. Joe Gallagher revealed his cancer returned in January but has an operation in September with hopes of getting the all-clear again.

Football Analysis

Julien Laurens made predictions for the opening weekend of Premier League action, including Liverpool's stiff test against Newcastle. Paul Merson predicted the 2026/27 Premier League season at both ends of the table. Phil McNulty provided his annual predictions for how each club will fare. Chris Sutton took on Courteeners frontman Liam Fray with his opening weekend predictions.

Football Club News

Sheffield United could incur a 12-point deduction after the company used to buy the club was placed into liquidation. Hull City owner Acun Ilicali criticized pundits Joe Cole and Carlton Cole after they mocked his side's chances of Premier League survival. Inverness Caledonian Thistle dreams of returning to the top flight after going through administration. Oxford United saw Matt Bloomfield depart as manager, with the coach reflecting on his exit and future plans.

Football Governance

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was urged to step down by Welsh FA chief executive Noel Mooney over the World Cup sell-off. UEFA vice-president called FIFA's decision to dismiss senior executive Kevin Lamour "deeply troubling." Premier League chief executive Richard Masters discussed the FIFA crisis, Manchester City charges, and World Cup expansion. Manchester City faces more than 100 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, with Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick calling for clarity on the case.

Football Player News

Marcus Rashford said he would like to play football without his "name being mentioned every day" after Gary Neville tried to start a conversation about him on a podcast. Jamal Musiala revealed he is suffering from "treatable absence seizures" after collapsing twice in four days. Paul Pogba left AS Monaco as a free agent after his contract was ended a year early. Lionel Messi is "at peace" following his return to Inter Miami after the death of his father, Jorge.

Football Youth & Development

Zavier Gozo was signed by Crystal Palace from Real Salt Lake for a reported $15m (£11.08m). Caleb Yirenkyi is making an explosive start to his career at Coventry City after joining from FC Nordsjaelland. Zoe Thompson signed a Nike NIL deal at age, joining her sisters in professional representation. Troy Parrott completed his transfer from AZ Alkmaar to Real Betis for €17.1m.

Football Preseason & Friendlies

Barcelona won the Joan Gamper Trophy with a 2-1 victory over Al Ahly, though Anthony Gordon missed a penalty on his Camp Nou debut. Atlético Madrid opened their LaLiga campaign with a 2-0 win over Málaga, with Lee Kang-In scoring a superb debut goal. PSG moved their Ligue 1 opener to Rennes after hot weather severely damaged the Parc des Princes pitch. Espanyol's Tyrhys Dolan scored in their 3-0 LaLiga win over Levante, stating "I am not the player I was a year ago."

Football Manager & Coaching

Patrick Vieira was named Senegal head coach, though questions remain over the appointment amid federation turmoil. Matthias Jaissle shared his journey from injury setback to Newcastle head coach role. Ryan Carr left Castleford Tigers as head coach. Oliver Glasner outlined his vision for stability at Nottingham Forest. Andoni Iraola discussed his playing philosophy and Liverpool's transfer business in a wide-ranging chat with Jamie Carragher.

Football Fan Culture

BBC launched four new YouTube shows and added star pundits including Frank and Rio Ferdinand. Adidas released its Clubs Pet Collection with seven different mini kits for dogs. EA Sports revealed the 27 top-rated men's and women's players for FC, with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé leading the pack. Fantasy Premier League champion Erik Ibsen shared his five best tips for winning mini-leagues.

Football Miscellaneous

Maracanã will host the 2027 Women's World Cup opening match and final, FIFA announced. Serie A will have 38 live matches broadcast by BBC ALBA and BBC Sport this season. The Premier League plans to crack down on corner chaos with new rules targeting holding, pushing, and grappling. Yael Trepy is out of an induced coma two days after being pulled unconscious from a swimming pool in Sardinia. A 33-year-old man was found dead at Charlton Athletic's ground following a possible fall from height.