Calum Burrowes

Millwall host Norwich City in the second round of the Championship after contrasting opening results: Millwall won 2-0 at Bristol City, while Norwich lost 2-1 at home to West Bromwich Albion. Millwall are seeking another playoff challenge after last season's top-three finish and have added several players, although Femi Azeez, Mathis Servais and Mihailo Ivanovic are unavailable. Norwich have no new injury concerns but remain without Mirko Topic and Anthony Musaba. Despite Norwich's defeat, their attacking statistics and recent form suggest a closely contested match, with a 1-1 draw predicted.

Stenhousemuir host Motherwell at Ochilview Park in the second round of the Scottish League Cup. Stenhousemuir topped their group with four wins and have begun the season unbeaten under new manager Marvin Bartley, following promotion to the Championship. Motherwell are also unbeaten under Alfred Johansson and have advanced through Conference League qualifying while making a strong start in the Scottish Premiership. Motherwell may rotate ahead of a European playoff, but several players are unavailable through injury. Stenhousemuir are expected to provide a stern test, though Motherwell’s higher-division status and greater depth are tipped to produce a narrow 2-1 victory.

Cardiff City are judged the most likely of the three promoted teams to survive the 2026-27 Championship season, helped by recent experience in the division, summer investment, a strong squad and the retention of manager Brian Barry-Murphy. Lincoln City have an encouraging defensive record and a 100-point League One campaign behind them, but Michael Skubala's departure and the managerial change to Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw create uncertainty. Bolton Wanderers are considered the least prepared after losing several attacking players and failing to replace them adequately, although Ryan Hardie's loan arrival offers some help. If all three promoted clubs avoid relegation, West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers and Charlton Athletic are identified as the most vulnerable established Championship sides because of poor away or home records, limited recruitment and goalscoring concerns.

Barnsley open their 2026-27 League One campaign at Oakwell against newly promoted Bromley. Barnsley finished 15th last season and replaced Conor Hourihane with returning manager Daniel Stendel after a poor run and the division's second-worst defensive record. Bromley arrive after winning the League Two title and making their first appearance in League One, although injuries and suspension have weakened their defence. Both teams lost their EFL Cup openers on penalties, and the preview expects a closely contested 1-1 draw.

Kilmarnock host Ayr United in the Scottish League Cup round of 16 after losing both of their opening Scottish Premiership matches and conceding nine goals. Ayr arrive in stronger form, having won all four group matches and started their Championship campaign unbeaten under Gary Naysmith. Kilmarnock may be without the injured Michael Schjonning-Larsen, while Ayr have no new injury concerns. Despite Ayr's momentum, Kilmarnock's top-flight experience and home advantage lead to a predicted 2-1 victory.

Kauno Zalgiris host Dinamo Zagreb in the second leg of their Champions League third qualifying-round tie after losing the first leg 5-0 in Zagreb. Despite Kauno’s strong domestic scoring record and a recent 2-0 league win, the deficit is considered effectively unassailable, with the club likely to drop into a Europa League playoff. Dinamo arrive unbeaten and in strong defensive form, although both teams may rotate players ahead of domestic fixtures. The preview predicts a 3-1 Dinamo victory and an 8-1 aggregate score, sending the Croatian champions into the Champions League league phase.

Cardiff City host Swindon Town in the opening round of the EFL Cup after securing an immediate return to the Championship by finishing second in League One. Cardiff strengthened their squad with players including Jack Moylan and enter the match in encouraging preseason form, while Swindon are rebuilding after missing out on the League Two playoffs following a poor late-season run. Both teams are expected to rotate their lineups and have injury concerns, but Cardiff’s greater squad quality and two-division advantage lead to a predicted 3-0 victory and progression to the second round.

Dinamo Zagreb host Kauno Zalgiris in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying-round tie. Dinamo recovered from a two-goal deficit against Thun to qualify and have begun their domestic title defence unbeaten, while Kauno have progressed past Drita and Klaksvik and remain unbeaten under Zeljko Sopic. Dinamo are expected to field a largely unchanged team, with Aleks Stojakovic injured, while Kauno may be without Leo Ribeiro. Sports Mole predicts a 2-0 home victory, citing Dinamo's superior European experience, squad quality and home advantage.

York City begin their return to the EFL Cup against Crawley Town in the preliminary round. York earned promotion to the English Football League after winning the National League with 108 points and scoring 114 goals, while Crawley narrowly avoided relegation from League Two last season. Both teams had uneven pre-seasons and are expected to rotate their lineups, with several new signings in contention for debuts. York's home advantage, attacking strength and momentum lead to a predicted 2-1 victory, although Crawley's unbeaten record in four previous meetings offers encouragement to the visitors.

Newport County host Reading at Rodney Parade in a pre-season friendly. Newport are preparing for another League Two campaign after narrowly avoiding relegation last season and remain without a permanent manager following Christian Fuchs's departure. Reading finished 12th in League One and have recruited several players under Leam Richardson, making a positive start to pre-season despite a defeat to Getafe. Both sides are expected to rotate their squads, but Reading are judged to have the stronger team and are tipped to win 2-1.

New York Red Bulls host Charlotte FC in an MLS match between teams level on 22 points. New York sit 17th overall after a 3-1 loss to Philadelphia but had shown improved form before the mid-season break, while defensive weaknesses remain a major concern. Charlotte are seventh after drawing 2-2 with Atlanta despite taking a two-goal lead and will be without injured goalscorers Kerwin Vargas and Liel Abada. The preview expects an entertaining 2-2 draw, with both teams likely to score.

Lanus begin their defence of the Copa Sudamericana title by hosting Cienciano in the first leg of their knockout playoff tie, entering the match after a long break but benefiting from home advantage and experience. Their visitors arrive with stronger recent activity but defensive issues and discipline concerns. Key players return from suspensions on both sides, while Lanus striker Walter Bou continues to be a major threat. A narrow home win is expected, giving Lanus a slight edge heading into the second leg in Peru.

Queens Park Rangers and Wycombe Wanderers meet in a behind-closed-doors friendly as both clubs continue pre-season preparations. QPR aim to improve on last season’s Championship finish after several squad changes, while Wycombe seek momentum following a mid-table League One campaign and multiple summer signings. Both sides are expected to heavily rotate their squads, with QPR predicted to secure a 3-1 win based on early pre-season form.

Queretaro and Club America open the 2026–27 Liga MX season seeking improvement after disappointing previous campaigns. Queretaro look to build on late-season momentum under Esteban Gonzalez and integrate several new signings, while Club America begin a new era under Guillermo Almada as they aim to address attacking struggles following a low-scoring season. Both teams enter with notable injuries and absences, and an evenly matched contest is anticipated, with a high-scoring draw predicted.

England prepare to face Argentina and Lionel Messi in the 2026 World Cup semi-final with limited squad experience against the Argentine captain. Previous encounters by Harry Kane, John Stones and Jordan Henderson offer mixed insights into Messi’s threat. Switzerland’s recent success in restricting Messi provides a potential blueprint built around compact defensive structure and limiting space in central areas. England may benefit from targeting the space Messi leaves defensively while maintaining balance to avoid exposing themselves to Argentina’s other attacking threats. Tuchel’s tactical decisions regarding midfield discipline, defensive depth and wide-player roles could determine England’s chances of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966.

Saburtalo Tbilisi carry a 3-2 advantage into the Champions League first qualifying round second leg after a strong first-leg win over Flora. The Georgian champions aim to progress to the second round for the first time since 2019–20, with recent form mixed under new manager Andriy Demchenko. Flora must overturn the deficit amid domestic struggles and a suspension for Airon Kollo, relying on key scorer Rauno Sappinen to lead their comeback. Expected lineups suggest minimal changes for the hosts and enforced rotation for the visitors, with predictions favoring Saburtalo to advance and face Slovan Bratislava next.

England advanced to the 2026 World Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, coming from behind after Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring. Jude Bellingham equalised before halftime and netted the decisive winner early in extra time after Orjan Nyland spilled a long-range effort. Both teams had goals ruled out, and England survived a reversed penalty decision following VAR review. Player ratings highlighted Bellingham as the standout performer, while Nyland’s error and mixed defensive displays influenced Norway’s downfall.

France advanced to the World Cup Round of 16 with a dominant 3-0 win over Sweden, driven by a standout performance from Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice and led a relentless attack. Michael Olise provided two assists and was central to France’s forward play, while Bradley Barcola added the second goal. Sweden struggled to cope with France’s pace and movement, with their attack largely contained and their defence repeatedly exposed. The result sets up France for a knockout-round match against Paraguay.