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Ken Bates obituary
Former owner and chairman of Chelsea FC who bought the club for a pound and helped restore it to the top rank of English football For more than 20 years, Ken Bates, who has died aged 94, was synonymous with Chelsea Football Club, which he bought in 1982 from the Mears family, who had lost…
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St Helens out of top six after Toulouse hammering
St Helens are hammered at home by Toulouse and drop out of the Super League play-off places.
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‘She departs the grand, old stage’ – Knight’s final dismissal
England batter Heather Knight was dismissed for the final time in an England shirt during the third day of the one-off Test against India at Lord’s, marking the end of an era in the women’s game. She fell for 13, caught by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, as England’s chase faltered badly. At the time of her…
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World Cup 2026 power rankings: who leads the pack as semi-finals loom?
The Guardian has published its latest World Cup 2026 power rankings, assessing the eight teams that reached the quarter-finals as the tournament moves towards its semi-finals. France retain top spot, with the piece arguing that they possess the finest individual talent in a competition defined by standout players, and that opponents are visibly fearful of…
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Ryu claims second major of season at Evian Championship
South Korea’s Haeran Ryu says it feels like she was in an “unreal dream” after claiming her second major title in the space of two weeks by defeating Brooke Henderson in a play-off at the Evian Championship.
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Big game Bellingham steps up again with show-stopping World Cup run for England | Andrew Beasley
England’s run at the 2026 World Cup has increasingly centred on Jude Bellingham, who scored twice against Norway on Saturday having also netted a double against Mexico in the previous round. In doing so, the 23-year-old Real Madrid forward became the first player to score twice in consecutive World Cup knockout matches since Diego Maradona…
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Starmer to use last week in power to push through Hillsborough law
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to use his final week as prime minister to push the long-delayed “Hillsborough law” through its remaining stages in the House of Commons. Officially the public office (accountability) bill, the legislation would strengthen support for families seeking justice after major disasters and create new offences for officials who deliberately mislead…
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Gianni Infantino hints at expansion to 64-team World Cup before 2030 event
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has indicated that officials will consider expanding the men’s World Cup from 48 to 64 teams before the 2030 tournament, telling the Swiss outlet Bluewin that such a move “could make sense” and would be examined and discussed by the relevant committees after the current event. He framed the potential expansion…
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First ball, final time – Beaumont ends England career with golden duck
England batter Tammy Beaumont ended her international career with a golden duck, bowled first ball by India’s Kranti Gaud on day three of the one-off Test at Lord’s. The dismissal marked an anticlimactic finish for one of England’s most experienced women’s cricketers, coming in what was confirmed as the final innings of her time with…
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Quirke gets England call-up for Argentina clash
Scrum-half Raffi Quirke has been called into the England squad for their Nations Championship fixture against Argentina next Saturday. He comes in as a replacement for Alex Mitchell, who suffered a hamstring injury during England’s 73-8 victory over Fiji in Liverpool, and the call-up gives Quirke a route back into the international set-up as England…