Sam Cunningham

Chelsea’s ownership structure is facing another crisis, with Todd Boehly and Mark Walter reportedly considering selling their minority stakes to majority owner Clearlake Capital. The relationship between Boehly and Clearlake’s Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano has been strained by disagreements over sporting strategy, stadium development and governance. Chelsea’s expensive recruitment model has produced inconsistent league results, record losses, fan anger and a UEFA financial-rule fine, despite a Champions League qualification and Club World Cup win under Enzo Maresca. Boehly’s expected departure as chair and Walter’s financial pressures could leave Clearlake in full control, removing the internal partners it could blame if the club’s performance does not improve.

Chelsea drew 3-3 with Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim in a fiercely contested preseason friendly, with Liam Delap scoring twice from penalties and Mykhailo Mudryk’s late cross forcing an own goal. The result exposed concerns for new manager Xabi Alonso, including Chelsea’s 41-player squad, an excess of forwards, recurring indiscipline and a lack of preparation time before the Premier League season. Alonso must reintegrate several key players and manage further squad disruption after Chelsea’s demanding three-country tour.

England’s men’s amputee football team faces missing the 2026 World Cup in Mexico due to a £50,000 funding shortfall, as the Football Association does not include amputee football among its funded para teams. Former head coach Scott Rogers highlights the programme’s success, volunteer-driven structure and growing participation, while warning that lack of long-term financial support threatens its progress. The team previously relied on donations and media appeals to attend major tournaments, but current fundraising efforts are falling short. The FA says it continues to work with the England Amputee Football Association to support development, but no new funding commitment has been made.

Xabi Alonso says he is optimistic about succeeding as Chelsea’s new manager despite inheriting a club marked by constant managerial turnover, a 10th-place Premier League finish and a squad criticized for its youth, lack of leadership and disciplinary problems. Alonso believes Chelsea need targeted adjustments rather than a complete rebuild and says he is aligned with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. The club is reshaping its squad through major sales and new signings, while key issues include Enzo Fernández’s future, Cole Palmer’s fitness and form, and the team’s record number of red cards. Alonso’s four-year contract offers some security, but another slow start could expose him to the same coaching carousel that ended the tenures of recent predecessors.

Harry Kane’s path to becoming England’s greatest goalscorer began with early rejection, including releases by Arsenal and Tottenham, but was marked by unusual resilience and self-belief. Coaches Dave Bricknell, Peter Taylor, Mauricio Pochettino and Allan Russell describe how his finishing, work ethic, fitness and mentality developed. Gareth Southgate built England around Kane, whose six goals at the 2026 World Cup have matched his 2018 tally and taken him past Gary Lineker and Pelé in World Cup scoring records. His improved energy management and maturity now make him appear to be at the peak of his career.

Real Madrid and Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger discusses growing up in Berlin’s Neukölln after his family fled Sierra Leone’s civil war. He says refugees often leave home because they have no alternative and deserve to be heard, while arguing that individual crimes should not fuel stereotypes about entire racial or refugee groups. He credits football with bringing together people from different backgrounds and supports refugees through the UNHCR’s Gamechanging Team and his foundation’s education and sport projects in Sierra Leone. Rüdiger also reflects on Real Madrid’s lacklustre seasons and Germany’s prospects at the World Cup, urging both to learn from setbacks and move forward.

West Ham face relegation unless David Moyes’s Everton side, Tottenham’s opponent, can defeat Spurs on the final day; even a draw would leave West Ham needing an improbable 12-goal win over Leeds. The club’s predicament follows years of managerial instability after replacing Moyes, who twice secured survival and oversaw a successful period culminating in the Europa Conference League title. Nuno Espírito Santo has maintained his normal matchday routine and urged players to focus only on their own performance, but three consecutive defeats have left the team on the brink. Jarrod Bowen’s omission from Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad adds to the pressure, while Nuno has declined to discuss his future beyond Sunday.

The English Football League’s archives show that the playoffs emerged from the financial and structural crisis engulfing English football in the mid-1980s. Brentford chair Martin Lange proposed them as a way to help lower-league clubs, building on an earlier idea from Alan Hardaker, and the format was adopted as part of the 1985 Heathrow agreement. Clubs and managers initially criticised the system, especially after controversial results involving Swindon and Oldham, but dramatic early contests—including Charlton’s extra-time victory over Leeds in 1987—helped make the playoffs popular. The format later shifted from two-legged ties to Wembley finals, and the Championship playoffs are due to expand to six teams, a change that is already generating controversy.

Bournemouth extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 14 matches but were held to a dramatic 2-2 draw by Leeds after Sean Longstaff scored a 97th-minute equalizer. Junior Kroupi and substitute Rayan put Bournemouth ahead at different stages, while James Hill’s own goal helped Leeds recover. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was furious that VAR did not review a possible offside involving Joël Piroe, while Leeds manager Daniel Farke said the point, which moved Leeds nine points clear of the relegation zone, was effectively priceless. Bournemouth remain seventh and in contention for European football, while Leeds are increasingly confident of securing survival.

Coventry City secured promotion to the Premier League after a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers, ending a 25-year absence from the top flight and prompting celebrations led by manager Frank Lampard. Tottenham Hotspur remain in serious relegation danger after 14 league matches without a win and no victories in 2026, with Roberto De Zerbi tasked with reviving the team. England’s Lionesses prepared for their landmark 500th match against Iceland in a World Cup qualifier, aiming to build on their win over Spain. Elsewhere, Marcus Rashford’s permanent transfer from Manchester United to Barcelona appeared increasingly uncertain, Cole Palmer said he had no plans to leave Chelsea, Liverpool turned their attention to securing Champions League qualification after elimination by Paris Saint-Germain, and Bournemouth moved toward appointing Marco Rose.

Coventry City’s promotion to the Premier League at Blackburn completes a 25-year journey from relegation, financial collapse and stadium displacement to a return to the top flight. The club endured ownership disputes involving Sisu, legal battles over the Ricoh Arena, administrations, points deductions, transfer embargoes and periods playing outside Coventry. Supporter protests gave way to renewed unity under Mark Robins, who led two promotions before leaving in 2024. Frank Lampard then strengthened the squad and improved its tactical discipline, with contributions from Matt Grimes, Frank Onyeka and Carl Rushworth helping Coventry secure promotion.

New Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi plans to revive the possession-based, attacking style associated with Ange Postecoglou in an effort to prevent the club’s first relegation in 49 years. With only seven matches remaining, De Zerbi is keeping his tactics simple and focusing on confidence, individual meetings and a few core ideas before his first game against Sunderland. He says he intends to remain at Tottenham long term under a contract running to 2031, despite criticism of his short managerial spells. De Zerbi also addressed fan opposition linked to his past comments about Mason Greenwood, reiterating his opposition to violence and sexist behaviour while saying he would not revisit the issue further.

The traditional No 9 has declined in influence in the Premier League, with strikers accounting for 25.9% of goals this season compared with 41.6% two decades ago. Tactical systems built around possession, false 9s and isolated forwards, along with reduced specialist finishing practice and more standardized academy formations, have weakened the development of natural centre-forwards. England’s dependence on Harry Kane highlights the problem, as alternatives such as Dominic Solanke, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ollie Watkins have yet to establish themselves. Coaches and former players argue that specialist training and renewed use of strike partnerships could restore the position, particularly if a successful team demonstrates the benefits of playing with two forwards.

Arne Slot acknowledged that Liverpool’s season remains unacceptable and that pressure is mounting to qualify for the Champions League after a 2-1 defeat at Brighton damaged the club’s top-five hopes. He defended Liverpool’s £450m summer spending by noting that the club also sold about £300m of players, while injuries to Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni and the death of Diogo Jota have complicated the campaign. Liverpool’s league position continues to attract scrutiny despite progress in the FA Cup and Champions League.

Danny Welbeck scored twice as Brighton defeated Liverpool 2-1, taking his Premier League tally to 12 and strengthening the case for his possible England World Cup selection. Liverpool’s defeat was their 10th of the league season and further damaged their hopes of finishing in the top five and qualifying for the Champions League. Milos Kerkez scored Liverpool’s goal after a mistake by Lewis Dunk, but Brighton repeatedly capitalized on Liverpool’s defensive disorganization. Arne Slot attributed the poor performance partly to injuries and the difficulty of reproducing the intensity of their previous Champions League victory.

Igor Tudor says Tottenham are showing improved mental sharpness and reacting earlier to danger after a draw with Liverpool and a win over Atlético Madrid. Despite stronger high-intensity running and pressing numbers under Tudor than under Thomas Frank, Spurs remain 16th and one point above Nottingham Forest amid a 12-match winless Premier League run. Fan groups are organizing a large show of support before the decisive relegation clash. Guglielmo Vicario will undergo hernia surgery after the match, while James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur could provide major injury-recovery boosts during the run-in.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said the club has identified and dealt with the source of leaks revealing team selections before Champions League matches, adding that the information did not come from a player or staff member and was not malicious. Rosenior also said Enzo Fernández remains fully committed to Chelsea after expressing uncertainty about his future, attributing the comments partly to translation and emotion. Trevoh Chalobah is expected to miss about six weeks with an ankle injury sustained against Paris Saint-Germain, less serious than initially feared.

Tottenham’s 1977 relegation followed years of decline after the breakup of its celebrated 1960s team, poor player replacement, managerial upheaval and a weakened squad. Despite talented individuals, defensive problems, internal disputes and hostile home crowds contributed to a season in which Spurs conceded 72 goals and fell after a 5-0 defeat by Manchester City. The club retained a committed core, returned to the top flight the following season and was later revitalized by Keith Burkinshaw through innovative recruitment, including Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa, and the use of a sports psychologist. Peter Taylor argues that the current Tottenham side must improve recruitment and rediscover character, while the 1977 experience suggests relegation could force necessary reform.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink describes the racism he experienced at Atlético Madrid and argues that football’s authorities are failing to stop recurring abuse. He criticizes José Mourinho for focusing on Vinícius Júnior’s celebration rather than confronting the alleged racial abuse of the Real Madrid forward by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, while acknowledging that proving the accusation may be difficult. Hasselbaink condemns racist online attacks against players including Tolu Arokodare, Hannibal Mejbri, Wesley Fofana and Romaine Mundle, and praises Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho for enduring similar abuse. He calls for lifetime bans for racist supporters, longer suspensions and loss of pay for guilty players, and faster enforcement by UEFA, clubs and police. He also promotes the Football Safety App as a quicker way to report abuse.

Former England striker Emile Heskey says racism and abuse remain widespread in football and that social media has made the problem worse. He is supporting the Football Safety App, which sends reports of abuse and safety incidents to security professionals who coordinate with stadium staff and police. Heskey argues that women and girls should not be told simply to ignore abuse, and describes the impact of racist incidents on his sons, Manchester City academy players Reigan and Jaden. He also discusses parenting young footballers and criticizes Liverpool’s poor form, saying the current team lacks the fighters and leaders who helped his former side recover from difficult periods.

Simon Leaf describes the varied work of a sports lawyer, from multimillion-pound football deals and technology contracts to advising players diagnosed with serious heart conditions. He also provides pro bono support to academy players and women facing discrimination, warning that clubs can exploit inexperienced families and young athletes. Leaf’s career developed after a knee injury ended his ambitions as a referee, leading from work for the Football Association and London 2012 to leadership at Mishcon de Reya and the creation of Three Points Law with Tom Murray. The firm now focuses on the growing legal issues surrounding player data, intellectual property, sponsorship, broadcasting and video-assistant-referee technology.

The Football Association is offering victims of hate and discrimination in English grassroots football up to six free counselling sessions through the Sporting Chance charity, with extra support available in exceptional cases. Discrimination charges rose 17% in the 2023–24 season, while surveys found that poor behaviour significantly affects 70% of participants and that many incidents go unreported. The FA is combining mental-health support with tougher sanctions, educational courses, club monitoring, captains-only match-official protocols, cooling-off trials and referee body cameras. It aims to attract 200,000 more people to grassroots football by 2028.