Sport

Next Generation 2025: 60 of the best young talents in world football
Posted on Tuesday October 14, 2025

From PSG’s Ibrahim Mbaye to Brazil’s next hope, we select some of the most talented players born in 2008. Check the progress of our classes of 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 … and go even further back. Here’s our Premier League class of 2025 Continue reading...

David Squires on … plane sailing for Tuchel’s England amid off-field distractions
Posted on Tuesday October 14, 2025

Our cartoonist on a smooth journey towards the World Cup for England against a backdrop of flags and uproarBuy copies of David’s cartoon in our Print ShopDavid’s latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...

RFL close to selling stake in expanded Super League to private equity
Posted on Tuesday October 14, 2025

Advanced talks in train after NRL interest wanedUS-based LionCap Global among key suitorsThe Rugby Football League is in advanced talks with several private equity firms about selling a stake in Super League.The Guardian has learned that the RFL has had multiple offers from funds interested in buying into the competition after the collapse of a proposed investment in Super League from Australia’s National Rugby League. Continue reading...

Cardiff City defend pest control policy after rat halts Wales football match
Posted on Tuesday October 14, 2025

Wales’s World Cup qualifying loss to Belgium interrupted‘It’s something I’ve not seen in my 36 years at Cardiff City’Cardiff City have defended their pest control policy after a rat halted play during the second half of Wales’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium.The Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made an unsuccessful attempt to catch the rodent during Belgium’s 4-2 win on Monday night before the Wales substitute Brennan Johnson ushered the rat off the Cardiff City Stadium pitch. The rat then slipped past a ball boy and disappeared behind the referee review monitor and was not seen again. Continue reading...

The Breakdown | South American rugby success stories propel men's World Cup qualifying
Posted on Tuesday October 14, 2025

Los Condores are in the finals again and subplots abound going into next month’s Dubai qualification tournamentWhile many fans in the UK ponder the early-season fortunes of their clubs, or perhaps debate selection for the imminent autumn internationals, the qualifying battle for the 2027 Rugby World Cup rages on.Chile sealed their second consecutive appearance at the tournament with a sensational playoff win against Samoa last month, leaving a single spot to be won for Australia in two years’ time. On Saturday Paraguay stunned Brazil 39-19 in the first leg of their playoff. The second leg takes place this Saturday in Jacareí, near São Paulo, as Brazil’s men attempt to emulate the women and qualify for the first time. Continue reading...

Former Premier League ref David Coote admits making indecent image of child
Posted on Tuesday October 14, 2025

Ex-official appeared in court over charge relating to a category A video, the most serious kindThe former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty at Nottingham crown court to making an indecent image of a child.The ex-official appeared at Nottingham crown court on Tuesday in connection with an allegation relating to a category A video, the most serious kind, recovered by officers in February. Continue reading...

By blending diaspora players with homegrown talent the island nation of fewer than 600,000 people has qualified for 2026 tournament On 5 July 1975, the Cape Verdean flag was raised for the first time at Estádio da Várzea in the capital city of Praia, marking the nation’s declaration of independence from Portugal. At that moment, there was no national football team – and no sign of what was to come.Exactly 100 days after the 50th anniversary of independence, the same flag was waved at the very same ground, where crowds gathered to celebrate Cape Verde’s historic first World Cup qualification with the players who had earlier secured the decisive 3-0 win over Eswatini five miles away at the National Stadium. This island nation off the coast of Senegal, with a population of fewer than 600,000, has become the second-smallest country to qualify for the tournament, after Iceland in 2018. Continue reading...

Beau Greaves stuns Luke Littler in PDC world youth championship thriller
Posted on Monday October 13, 2025

Greaves edges out world champion 6-5 in semi-finalShe will now face Gian van Veen in November finaleBeau Greaves won a thrilling last-leg decider to shock Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-finals of the PDC world youth championship in Wigan.Greaves, a three-time WDF women’s world champion who has secured a PDC Tour card for the 2026-27 season, had gone 2-1 up in the semi-final. Littler responded with the next three legs, the PDC world champion competing the day after defeating rival Luke Humphries 6-1 in the World Grand Prix final in Leicester. Continue reading...