Emillia Hawkins

The live coverage builds up to Arsenal’s Community Shield meeting with Manchester City at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Enzo Maresca’s first competitive match in charge since Pep Guardiola’s departure. Maresca and Mikel Arteta both frame the match as a serious opportunity to win an early trophy, although commentary notes that conclusions from the ceremonial fixture should be treated cautiously. Chelsea’s 3-1 friendly win over Real Sociedad was overshadowed by Enzo Fernández being booed by some supporters after previously expressing a desire to leave, while João Pedro scored twice and Morgan Rogers scored on his Stamford Bridge debut. The liveblog also covers Aston Villa’s pursuit of goalkeeper Zion Suzuki as Emiliano Martínez considers an exit, Carl Jenkinson’s retirement announcement, European transfer deals, Fantasy Premier League advice and results from the opening rounds of the English and Scottish football seasons.

The Guardian’s live football coverage follows the opening of the 2026-27 EFL season and previews the Community Shield. Paris Saint-Germain have signed Ferran Torres from Barcelona for about £43m on a five-year contract, while Cristian Romero has moved from Tottenham to Atlético Madrid for £34.1m. The updates also cover Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group’s £1.65bn sale of a 30% stake to a consortium including Jeff Bezos, and Bournemouth’s response to criticism over how long-serving matchday staff were informed of job changes. FIFA president Gianni Infantino remains under pressure after UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation called for his resignation, although the Oceania Football Confederation voiced support.

The Guardian's live World Cup blog recaps Scotland's 1-0 win over Haiti, their first World Cup victory in 36 years, and Australia's 2-0 defeat of Turkey. It also reports Morocco's deserved 1-1 draw with Brazil, previews Germany's match against Curaçao and other upcoming fixtures, and follows England's preparations in Kansas City after stolen training equipment and a tornado warning disrupted the camp. Additional developments include FIFA's decision to pay Somali referee Omar Artan after he was denied entry to the United States, while commentary assesses the tournament prospects of Scotland, Brazil, Australia and other teams.

A Guardian live blog tracks World Cup 2026 preparations, with England, Scotland and the United States among the teams preparing for friendlies. Major developments include injuries ruling Germany’s Lennart Karl and Argentina’s Leonardo Balerdi out of the tournament, uncertainty over Paraguay’s Julio Enciso and Canada’s Alphonso Davies, and Romelu Lukaku continuing his comeback for Belgium. Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago airport, while an Iraqi team photographer was denied entry. England manager Thomas Tuchel discussed his attacking options and urged focus away from transfer speculation. The blog also reports Canada’s draw with Ireland, Belgium’s win over Tunisia, Mexico’s heightened security plans for its World Cup fan zone, Brighton’s signing of Zadok Yohanna and problems with FIFA’s ticketing system.

Arsenal supporters gathered in north London for a Premier League title parade despite losing the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Budapest. Arsenal players and Mikel Arteta expressed pride in the season and vowed to use the defeat as motivation. More than 400 people were arrested in Paris during disorderly PSG celebrations. The live blog also covered Brighton’s Women’s FA Cup final against Manchester City, Scotland adding Tyler Fletcher to its World Cup squad after Billy Gilmour’s injury, Tuva Hansen’s ACL injury at West Ham, Chelsea’s World Sevens victory, transfer news and Liverpool’s dismissal of Arne Slot with Andoni Iraola linked as a replacement.

Bolton Wanderers defeated Stockport County 4-1 in the League One playoff final at Wembley to secure promotion to the Championship after a seven-season absence. Rúben Rodrigues opened the scoring and later converted a penalty, while Adama Sidibeh briefly equalised for Stockport before Kyle Wootton’s own goal and Sam Dalby’s superb finish put Bolton in control. Stockport’s Josh Dacres-Cogley was sent off late for pulling Ibrahim Cissoko’s hair, and Bolton completed a dominant victory.

Manchester City’s title-winning 2025-26 campaign dominates the review, with Khadija Shaw selected as the outstanding player and Andrée Jeglertz as the best manager. Writers highlight City’s dramatic victories, Jess Park’s successful move to Manchester United, standout goals and influential signings including Toko Koga. The main criticisms concern Sunday noon kick-offs, fixture postponements caused by European competition, congested schedules, inconsistent refereeing, and misogynistic abuse directed at players and supporters. Grace Geyoro’s move to London City Lionesses is identified as the biggest transfer disappointment, while Leicester City face a relegation playoff after a poor season.

Manchester City sealed the 2025–26 Women's Super League title with a 4–1 win over West Ham, led by two goals from Khadija Shaw, and celebrated with a trophy lift. Arsenal finished second after beating Liverpool 3–1, while Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1–0 through Sam Kerr's goal in her final Chelsea appearance. Tottenham, London City Lionesses and Everton also secured late victories. Leicester City finished bottom but will enter a playoff against Charlton because the league is expanding to 14 teams.

The Guardian’s matchday live blog previews Chelsea v Manchester City in the FA Cup final, a winner-takes-all Scottish Premiership decider between Celtic and Hearts, the WSL finale and the Bundesliga’s final round. Robert Lewandowski announces he will leave Barcelona after four seasons and 119 goals, three La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey. Real Madrid’s Álvaro Arbeloa welcomes the possibility of José Mourinho returning as manager, while Michael Carrick is expected to take charge permanently at Manchester United. Aston Villa’s win over Liverpool secures Champions League qualification, intensifying scrutiny of Arne Slot, and Newcastle manager Eddie Howe reflects on an inconsistent campaign. The blog also covers Melbourne City’s A-League Women title, World Cup squad and injury news, Southampton’s potential expulsion from the Championship playoffs, and Adidas’s World Cup-themed pet jerseys in Singapore.

A live football roundup previews West Ham’s relegation fight against title-chasing Arsenal, with Arsenal seeking to preserve its lead over Manchester City. The coverage also follows the Scottish Premiership title race ahead of Celtic v Rangers, Barcelona’s opportunity to secure the La Liga title against Real Madrid, and the fallout from a violent Prague derby pitch invasion. Kylian Mbappé is ruled out of Real Madrid’s squad because of a hamstring injury. The liveblog also reports growing fan dissatisfaction with Liverpool manager Arne Slot, while Slot says planned summer changes can restore the team’s performances and the Anfield crowd’s confidence.

The Guardian’s live football blog follows Liverpool’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea, Manchester City’s title hopes against Brentford, and the wider European qualification race. It also covers Arsenal’s Champions League final qualification, the Women’s Super League title won by Manchester City, Iran’s confirmation that it will attend the 2026 World Cup subject to 10 conditions, and Neymar’s possible return to Brazil’s squad. In the Championship playoffs, Southampton face an EFL misconduct investigation after an alleged spying incident involving Middlesbrough. Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa defended Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni after their altercation, while Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner indicated he may rotate his squad before the Conference League final.

Celtic defeated 10-man Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road through a second-half winner from Kelechi Iheanacho, drawing level with Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Bournemouth comfortably beat Crystal Palace 3-0, with goals from an own goal, Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan, moving up to sixth and strengthening their hopes of Champions League qualification. The live coverage also followed Chelsea’s 3-1 Women’s Super League lead over Leicester, Manchester United’s early advantage over Liverpool, and selected Spanish and Italian league fixtures.

Rebecca Knaak scored a diving header in the 92nd minute to give Manchester City a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at the Joie Stadium. Liverpool goalkeeper Falk made several outstanding saves, but City increased the pressure after half-time and eventually found the breakthrough. The win leaves Manchester City needing one point from their final match against West Ham to secure the Women’s Super League title. Tottenham also beat London City Lionesses 2-1 in the day’s other reported fixture.

Brighton defeated WSL leaders Manchester City 3–2, halting City’s potential title-clinching path. Kerolin opened the scoring for City, but Madison Haley equalised before half-time, Kiko Seike put Brighton ahead early in the second half and Haley added a second. Khadija Shaw’s late goal was not enough to rescue City. The result leaves the title race open, with Chelsea able to close the gap and Arsenal benefiting from three games in hand.

The live blog previews a major day of English football, including Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton and Premier League matches affecting both the title race and relegation battle. Arsenal can return to the top by beating Newcastle, with Bukayo Saka expected back after injury. West Ham and Tottenham remain separated by two points near the relegation zone, while Wolves and Burnley are already down; Nottingham Forest’s 5-0 win over Sunderland gave them important breathing room. The update also covers Championship, Women’s Super League, Women’s Champions League and National League fixtures, including the financial-rules deduction imposed on West Brom.

The Premier League returned after a three-week break with Arsenal seeking to move 12 points clear at the top against Bournemouth, while Manchester City retained a game in hand. Coventry City faced Sheffield Wednesday knowing a victory would virtually secure promotion to the Premier League. West Ham United’s 4–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers pushed Tottenham Hotspur into the relegation zone, intensifying a battle also involving Nottingham Forest and Leeds United. The live coverage included team news, Championship and Scottish Premiership fixtures, Liverpool’s rebuilding plans under Arne Slot, and Real Madrid’s draw with Girona, which gave Barcelona an opportunity to strengthen its lead in Spain.

Chelsea defeated Port Vale 7-0 at Stamford Bridge to reach the FA Cup semi-finals. Jorrel Hato scored after 64 seconds, followed by João Pedro and Cole Palmer before half-time. Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Estêvão and Alejandro Garnacho added four more goals after the break. Port Vale manager Jon Brady praised his players for reaching the quarter-finals but acknowledged that poor defending and Chelsea's ruthlessness determined the outcome.

The live blog follows football developments ahead of the 2026 World Cup, including England squad changes, concerns over Harry Kane's fitness and Scotland's defeat by Japan. It also covers Northern Ireland's playoff loss to Italy, Mexico's reopening of Azteca Stadium amid a renewed World Cup atmosphere, protests and a fatal accident, and the Women's Super League title race. Manchester City have established a commanding position, while Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United compete for the remaining Champions League places.

The Guardian’s matchday live blog previewed the Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City while tracking Premier League and Scottish Premiership fixtures. Nottingham Forest led Tottenham at half time, Aston Villa held an advantage over West Ham, and Sunderland came from behind to beat Newcastle 2-1 in the Tyne-Wear derby. Dundee United defeated Celtic 2-0, damaging Celtic’s title hopes. The blog also reviewed the Women’s Super League, where Manchester City strengthened their title position, Manchester United moved above Chelsea, and Arsenal beat West Ham 5-0.

Manchester City defeated Tottenham 5-2, with Khadija Shaw scoring a record-breaking 12-minute, 37-second hat-trick, to move eight points clear at the top of the Women's Super League. Arsenal thrashed West Ham 5-0, while Chelsea’s title hopes suffered after a 1-1 draw with London City Lionesses. Manchester United moved into second place with a dramatic 2-1 injury-time victory over Everton. The report also noted expectations that Sam Kerr and Millie Bright will leave Chelsea when their contracts expire.

Chelsea defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the Women’s League Cup final through goals from Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones, but Sonia Bompastor expressed mixed feelings about Chelsea potentially being excluded from future editions because of Champions League qualification. In the WSL, Aston Villa held Manchester City to a goalless draw, ending City’s run of wins but leaving them nine points clear of United with five matches remaining. Arsenal maintained their late-season momentum with a 2-0 victory over London City Lionesses. Liverpool beat Leicester 2-0, with Beata Olsson scoring on her return to the starting lineup, deepening Leicester’s relegation concerns. Everton climbed to sixth after beating Tottenham 2-1 for their fourth consecutive league win.