Andy Martin

Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and PCP Capital Partners have agreed to buy the Gold family’s 25.1% stake in West Ham United from Vanessa Gold. The deal follows the collapse of an earlier agreement with fellow shareholder Daniel Kretinsky and remains subject to a pre-emption process giving existing shareholders the option to buy the shares. Gold said she was seeking leadership and ownership capable of helping the club return to the Premier League after its relegation.

Jermain Defoe’s four-month tenure as Woking manager ended by mutual agreement after the club said concerns had grown among players, staff and other departments. Director of football Jody Brown said Defoe and assistant manager Paul Bracewell failed to submit requested reports and did not attend a preparations meeting or a training session. Defoe had said it was impossible for him to continue and called the experience eye-opening, but had not publicly responded to the club’s claims.

Kevin Keegan has died aged 75 after revealing that he had stage-four cancer. Celebrated as a Liverpool great, Newcastle United icon and former England manager, he won major domestic and European trophies, two Ballon d'Or awards and 63 England caps. Tributes from former players, Newcastle, Liverpool, Prince William and the Football Association emphasize his influence on generations of supporters. Keegan later became a successful manager, guiding Newcastle to promotion and narrowly missing the 1995–96 Premier League title, while his final Newcastle tenure ended amid tensions with owner Mike Ashley.

Jürgen Klopp’s agent, Marc Kosicke, rejected Enrique Riquelme’s claim that Klopp would become Real Madrid manager if Riquelme wins the club’s presidential election, saying Klopp is satisfied in his Red Bull role and has no plans to return to club coaching. Riquelme nevertheless intends to have proposed sporting director Raúl González Blanco present Klopp with the project. The contested election also features disputed promises involving Manchester City players Erling Haaland and Rodri, while incumbent Florentino Pérez has pledged José Mourinho’s return and a €150m bid for Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

Bayer 05 Uerdingen defeated holders Bayern Munich 2-1 in the 1985 DFB-Pokal final, producing one of German football’s most remarkable giant-killings. Backed by Bayer AG and led by Kalli Feldkamp, the modest Krefeld club then reached the European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-finals and finished third in the Bundesliga. Its rise faded after Bayer AG withdrew financial support in 1995 to concentrate on Bayer Leverkusen, leading to renaming, insolvencies and a descent to the fifth tier. Now KFC Uerdingen is attempting to recover, with insolvency proceedings lifted, more than 60 sponsors and promotion ambitions despite continuing financial and sporting challenges.

The live football blog previews Chelsea v Manchester City in the FA Cup final, a winner-takes-all Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Hearts, and the final day of the Women’s Super League. Hearts need only a point to win their first Scottish league title in 66 years, while Manchester City are set to lift the WSL trophy. Robert Lewandowski confirms he will leave Barcelona after four seasons and three La Liga titles. The roundup also covers José Mourinho’s possible return to Real Madrid, Michael Carrick’s expected permanent Manchester United appointment, Liverpool’s damaging defeat by Aston Villa, Newcastle’s disappointing campaign, Aston Villa’s Champions League qualification, World Cup squad and injury news, and Adidas’s World Cup shirts for pets in Singapore.

Bryson DeChambeau denies reports that he is negotiating a return from LIV Golf to the PGA Tour, calling the claim “completely untrue.” He says he remains committed to making team golf work and is helping develop junior golf events and academies. LIV faces major uncertainty after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund decided to end its reported $5 billion investment following the 2026 season, while DeChambeau’s reported $125 million contract is also due to expire. Despite the funding crisis, he says he is still working on a new contract and intends to help keep the league operating.

Erling Haaland’s partnership with Budweiser for its global “Let It Pour” World Cup campaign has drawn criticism in Norway, where alcohol advertising is illegal. Prevention groups Actis and IOGT argue that the Manchester City and Norway striker’s status as a role model makes the promotion harmful to children and young people, and they urged the Norwegian Football Federation to intervene. The federation defended Haaland’s personal agreement, noting that the campaign is not being run in Norway and that Budweiser may advertise in countries where it is legal.

All 48 places at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico have been allocated. Africa’s qualifiers include Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Asia includes Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Europe’s 16 teams include England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Scotland, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Curaçao, Haiti, Panama and the three host nations qualified from the North and Central American region, New Zealand represented Oceania, and Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil qualified from South America. The explainer also highlights notable first appearances, returning teams, dramatic playoff wins and uncertainties surrounding Iran’s participation and Lionel Messi’s availability.

Senegal paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy at the Stade de France before defeating Peru 2-0, reaffirming its belief that it remains African champion. The Confederation of African Football overturned Senegal’s 1-0 final victory over Morocco and awarded Morocco a 3-0 win after Senegal’s players walked off for 14 minutes in protest during the match. Senegal has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, while Morocco considers the matter closed and is concentrating on preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

England rugby World Cup winners Ellie Kildunne and Sadia Kabeya are stranded in Dubai because of airspace disruption linked to the conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran. They will miss their respective Premiership Women's Rugby matches this weekend while staying in contact with their clubs, the Rugby Football Union and UK authorities. England's men's cricket team also faces delayed travel from India after the T20 World Cup semi-final, while charter flights and limited commercial services are being arranged amid wider disruption across the region.

British cyclist Simon Yates has announced his retirement at age 33 after a 13-year professional career. His achievements include victories in the 2018 Vuelta a España, the 2025 Giro d’Italia, 11 Grand Tour stages and 36 professional races. Yates said he was leaving with deep pride and a sense of peace, having decided that the time was right after a career marked by major successes, setbacks and resilience. His final professional victory was a mountain stage in the 2025 Tour de France.

The feature revisits five memorable Boxing Day Ashes Tests at Melbourne’s MCG. In 2017, Australia dominated early despite Tom Curran’s overturned dismissal of David Warner, while Alastair Cook’s 244 helped secure a draw. Kevin Pietersen’s determined 67 anchored England in 2013, though Australia won by eight wickets. Chris Tremlett’s four-wicket burst and England’s 415-run first-innings lead powered victory in 2010. Shane Warne claimed his 700th Test wicket during Australia’s 2006 demolition of England. In 1986, Ian Botham took five for 41 and England won by an innings and 14 runs to retain the Ashes.

Billy Bonds, West Ham United’s record appearance holder and former captain and manager, has died aged 79 after a long illness. Bonds made 799 first-team appearances, won two FA Cups as a player, and guided West Ham to two promotions, including their return to the top flight in 1991. He later led the club in its first Premier League season before resigning in 1994. Remembered for his loyalty and leadership, Bonds had the London Stadium’s East Stand named after him in 2019. West Ham announced tributes before forthcoming Premier League matches, while family members and former player Joe Cole paid tribute to his character and enduring legacy.

Harri Deaves is set to win his first Wales cap against New Zealand after progressing from Pontyclun and a brief civil engineering course to roofing work and the Ospreys Academy. Wales coach Steve Tandy praised the 24-year-old flanker’s physicality, speed and aggression after Jac Morgan’s shoulder injury. Wales make five changes from the side that narrowly beat Japan, including Joe Hawkins’s return to the starting lineup and Tom Rogers replacing the suspended Josh Adams. New Zealand make 12 changes after losing to England, but coach Scott Robertson says the All Blacks respect Wales and will not underestimate them. New Zealand have won the teams’ last 33 meetings.

Truro City’s 914-mile round trip from Cornwall to Gateshead ended in a 2-2 National League draw after the visitors surrendered a two-goal lead. The journey, described as the longest in English football history, highlights the logistical and financial burdens created by Truro’s geographic isolation. The first 90 travelling fans received a £920 Sky Bet-funded bar tab, while manager John Askey, chair Eric Perez and supporters emphasized both the hardship of the travel and the way it strengthens the club’s sense of togetherness.

Referee Lothar D’Hondt abandoned Standard Liège’s Belgian Pro League match against Royal Antwerp in the 87th minute after being struck by a plastic cup thrown from the stands. Standard were leading 1-0, but the final three minutes will be replayed without spectators under league rules introduced in 2022. Standard sporting director Marc Wilmots criticised the decision, while the club said it had identified the supporter and would seek a stadium ban and compensation. The match had already been stopped for 10 minutes because of objects thrown onto the pitch, and Standard were also down to 10 players after Adnane Abid’s dismissal.

Australia selector George Bailey is confident Pat Cummins will play a major role in the Ashes against England despite a stress injury in his back that has kept him from bowling since July. Cummins may miss the opening Test in Perth on 21 November, but he is increasing his workload after reporting that his symptoms have cleared. Steve Smith is confirmed as the stand-in captain if Cummins is unavailable.

Portugal defeated the Republic of Ireland 1-0 through Ruben Neves’s stoppage-time header after Caoimhin Kelleher had saved a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. Ireland’s disciplined defensive display kept them in contention, but the late concession left them needing results in their remaining matches. Spain beat Georgia 2-0 through goals from Yeremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal to preserve their perfect qualifying record. Italy defeated Estonia 3-1, with goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Francesco Pio Esposito, while other UEFA qualifying results included Turkey’s heavy win over Bulgaria, Albania’s victory over Serbia and Norway’s 5-0 defeat of Israel.

Carlos Sainz criticized Formula One broadcasters for showing excessive footage of celebrities and drivers’ girlfriends while missing key on-track action, including several of his overtakes and Fernando Alonso’s pursuit of Lewis Hamilton at the Singapore Grand Prix. Formula One defended its coverage, saying it prioritizes racing while also providing context through crowd, guest and venue images. The dispute reflects the sport’s growing focus on drivers’ personalities and private lives, amplified by Netflix’s Drive to Survive and expanding younger and US audiences.