Alastair Telfer

Arthur Fery has been selected for Great Britain's Davis Cup tie against Ecuador at London's Copper Box Arena on 19 and 20 September, alongside Cameron Norrie, Henry Patten and Lloyd Glasspool. Jack Draper is absent because of persistent arm-injury problems, while a fifth player will be added later. Fery's selection follows his surprise Wimbledon semi-final run, which lifted him to a career-high world ranking of 36. He subsequently lost to Alex de Minaur in the Cincinnati Masters.

Former Barcelona manager Xavi has been appointed Netherlands head coach on a four-year contract, becoming the first non-Dutch coach to lead the team since Austria's Ernst Happel left in 1978. He succeeds Ronald Koeman, who resigned after the Netherlands lost to Morocco at the World Cup. Xavi, who has won major honours with Barcelona and Spain, will begin his tenure against Germany in the Nations League on 24 September. Arne Slot also considered the role but withdrew to pursue a club-management position.

Great Britain's Angharad Evans won the 100m breaststroke at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris in a championship-record, British-record and lifetime-best time of 1:04.87. Ireland's Mona McSharry took silver and Italy's Benedetta Pilato bronze. Britain's Filip Nowacki and Greg Butler advanced to the men's 200m breaststroke final, while Amalie Smith won silver in the 400m individual medley behind Ireland's Ellen Walshe. Italy's Sara Curtis also set a world record in the women's 50m backstroke semi-final, surpassing Kaylee McKeown's previous mark.

Lorena Wiebes won stage two of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes in Geneva, securing consecutive stage victories and extending her overall lead in the yellow jersey. The Team SD Worx-Protime sprinter defeated Elisa Balsamo and Marianne Vos in the final sprint after the peloton caught solo attacker Riejanne Markus inside the final kilometre. Wiebes now has a record seven stage wins since the race returned to the World Tour calendar, although the steep climb on stage three is expected to challenge her hold on the leader’s jersey.

Brentford have signed 24-year-old Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens on a five-year contract, with an option for another year. The undisclosed fee exceeds the club-record £42.5m paid for Dango Ouattara. Sangare made 33 appearances for Lens last season after developing through loan spells and has 16 Mali caps, including participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews praised his performances, character and potential to become popular with supporters.

Haeran Ryu leads the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes after a two-under-par second round, finishing with a birdie on the 18th despite being three over through five holes. The South Korean is one shot ahead of Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki and is pursuing a third major title in a calendar year after winning the Evian Championship earlier in July. Jeeno Thitikul and Yealimi Noh are tied for third, while Lottie Woad, Charley Hull and Nelly Korda remain in contention. Korda recovered from an opening 73 with a 68, preserving her chance of completing a career Grand Slam and matching Ryu’s bid for three majors in one year.

Jeeno Thitikul leads the first round of the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes after a bogey-free seven-under-par 64, two shots clear of Haeran Ryu and Shiho Kuwaki. Ryu is pursuing a third major of the year, while England's Lottie Woad and Charley Hull lead the home challenge. World number one Nelly Korda struggled to a two-over 73 in her bid for a career Grand Slam and must improve to make the cut. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita and three-time major winner Lydia Ko also finished behind the leaders, while Georgia Hall endured a difficult return five months after giving birth.

Emily Scarratt has been appointed permanently to the Red Roses coaching staff after serving as interim attack and backs coach during England's successful Women's Six Nations campaign. She leaves Loughborough Lightning after eight years as player and coach, expressing gratitude for her time there. Head coach John Mitchell highlighted her positive impact, noting the team's improved scoring following her transition into coaching.

England secured a 31-24 victory over Argentina in the Nations Championship after a final-play try by Bautista Delguy was controversially overturned by the TMO, despite the on‑field referee signalling a score. England survived a chaotic match featuring seven yellow cards, twice going down to 13 players. Tries from Tommy Freeman, Ben Earl, Marcus Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso helped build a lead that Argentina narrowed through improved second‑half pressure. Defensive efforts from Henry Slade and Noah Caluori stopped a late Argentina comeback. The result supports Steve Borthwick’s position amid scrutiny over England’s discipline and recent performances.

Pele’s shirt worn in the 1958 World Cup final sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York for $4.9m, becoming the second most valuable football jersey ever sold. The sale drew multiple bids and marked Pele’s highest‑valued piece of memorabilia. Other items auctioned included Maradona’s 1986 World Cup captain’s armband, a Messi Barcelona shirt from the 2017 Champions League comeback, and a Beckham England shirt from the 2002 World Cup.

Rugby union in Argentina is expanding rapidly as the Pumas prepare to host England in the Nations Championship. Coach Felipe Contepomi highlights increasing participation across social classes and the growing value of Super Rugby Americas in developing talent. Despite logistical challenges and inconsistent results, Argentina aims to establish itself as a regular top‑four rugby nation. Historical success at Rugby World Cups, strong regional support and a potential bid for the 2035 tournament are helping drive the sport’s rise in a country still dominated by football.

FIFA’s suspension of Folarin Balogun’s red‑card ban generated widespread controversy after reports that U.S. President Donald Trump and White House officials lobbied the governing body. Balogun described mixed emotions and tension within the U.S. squad as he learned shortly before facing Belgium that he could play. UEFA condemned the decision as unprecedented and unjustifiable. FIFA officials declined to explain the ruling, while other disciplinary decisions at the tournament, including a harsher sanction for England’s Jarell Quansah, highlighted inconsistencies.

Arsenal have agreed a £17m deal to sell Leandro Trossard to Besiktas, with the forward travelling to Istanbul for a medical. The move is prompting Arsenal to accelerate efforts to sign Club Brugge attacker Christos Tzolis, who is expected to cost around £30m. The club also continues to monitor high‑profile targets including Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, while pursuing versatile forward Morgan Rogers and considering Paris St‑Germain’s Bradley Barcola as an alternative. Recruitment staff are additionally assessing Georgian Under‑21 attacker Andria Bartishvili as part of broader summer strengthening plans.

Research by World Rugby shows female rugby players are significantly more likely to face online abuse than male players, with misogyny and body‑shaming among the main forms. Over 1,100 posts were deemed unlawful, leading to eight cases being referred to authorities across several countries. Prominent players have spoken about the persistent abuse they receive, prompting calls from World Rugby for coordinated action by governments, platforms and sporting bodies. The report comes amid growing popularity of women’s rugby, including record attendances and television audiences.

Police report no violence or disorder involving England fans in the United States during the World Cup group stage, despite a sharp rise in football-related incidents back in England and Wales. Five England supporters were arrested in the US and later released, while 463 domestic football-related incidents were recorded, significantly more than in recent tournaments. Authorities credit fans with excellent behaviour and highlight the continued enforcement of football banning orders to prevent travel by banned supporters.

Ecuador lodged a complaint with World Cup organisers after about 1,000 Mexico supporters gathered outside their team hotel in Mexico City, using noisemakers and singing to disrupt preparations before their last‑32 match. Ecuador’s football federation called the behaviour unsporting but said the team would respond on the pitch. The upcoming match is set for Wednesday, with Mexico unbeaten at the venue and Ecuador entering after a surprise win over Germany. England could face Mexico in Mexico City if both win their last‑32 ties, and Fifa has been asked for comment.

Brighton signed Leeds defender Pascal Struijk for a fee understood to be about £20m, agreeing a five‑year contract with the 26‑year‑old. Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler praised Struijk’s Premier League experience, leadership and suitability to the team’s style. The move follows Brighton’s earlier sale of Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham for £52m.

Austria and Algeria drew 3-3 in their final World Cup 2026 group match, a result that eliminated Iran and sparked conspiracy accusations among Iranian fans who believed both teams colluded to ensure mutual qualification. The match featured dramatic late goals, fueling speculation online, though both teams’ coaches strongly denied any prearranged outcome. Austria will face Spain and Algeria will meet Switzerland in the knockout stage.