Aaron Judge sets tone as USA trounce Brazil to launch World Baseball Classic campaign

• Judge homers as US rout Brazil in WBC opener

• Turang drives in four runs as US draw 17 walks

• Manny Ramirez’s son hits two homers for Brazil

Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer and Brice Turang had three hits and four RBIs to lead the United States to a 15-5 win over Brazil in their World Baseball Classic opener Friday night.

There was one out and one on in the first when Judge, the first player to commit to the team last April, connected off Bo Takahashi at Houston’s Daikin Park.

Published: March 7, 2026, 12:05 pm

Baltimore Ravens land Maxx Crosby in blockbuster trade with Las Vegas Raiders

• Baltimore send two first-round picks to Vegas

• Pass-rush help arrives for Lamar Jackson’s side

Five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby is heading to the Baltimore Ravens, two people with knowledge of the trade told the Associated Press on Friday night.

Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be announced until the NFL’s new year starts next week.

Published: March 7, 2026, 3:42 am

Jayson Tatum returns for Boston Celtics after 10 months out with torn achilles

• Tatum back after 298 days out with achilles tear

• Celtics star posts 15-12-7 in limited 27 minutes

• Boston defeat Dallas 120-100 at TD Garden

There were times when Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum wasn’t sure if he’d make it back to the game that was abruptly taken away from him last season.

It made every moment he experienced in his return as special as any he’s had so far in his basketball career.

Published: March 7, 2026, 11:38 am

Mansfield v Arsenal: FA Cup fifth round – live

⚽ FA Cup fifth round news from the 12.15pm GMT kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Follow us on Bluesky | And email Billy

4 min: Big chance for Arsenal! They win it high up in the Mansfield half and Dowman is denied by Roberts’ legs.

2 min: McLaughlin runs down Madueke on the byline. Welcome to Mansfield, Noni. Tyler Roberts then does the same to Marli Salmon.

Published: March 7, 2026, 1:04 pm

Russell on F1 Australian GP pole in Mercedes lockout as Verstappen crashes out

• Norris sixth after running over Mercedes cooling fan in Q3

• Verstappen spins out in Q1 without setting lap time

When the talking finally stopped and the time came to lay down the cards in qualifying for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Formula One was forced to face two rather uncomfortable truths as the sport entered its new era in Melbourne.

The first will sit well with all at Mercedes at least, if less so elsewhere across the grid. Their front-row lockout achieved by an ominously dominant George Russell and his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, ended the pre-season phoney war with a bluntly emphatic stamp of complete authority. The team had attempted to play down their perceived advantage but at Albert Park, that they were top dogs was impossible to deny.

Published: March 7, 2026, 7:04 am

Donald Trump warns college sports crisis could ‘destroy’ US universities

• Trump warns NIL era threatens US college system

• White House summit debates NCAA anti-trust fix

• Olympic sports fear cuts as costs spiral

Donald Trump predicted the destruction not just of college sports but the entire US collegiate system unless the industry is fixed quickly – something some sports leaders who joined him Friday at a White House summit agreed could only happen by raising more money to pay players.

Trump suggested he would write an “all-encompassing” executive order within a week in hopes it would spark action from Congress. He said he expected the order to trigger a lawsuit that could put the issue back in front of the court system that approved industry-changing payments to players for their name, image and likeness.

Published: March 7, 2026, 4:37 am

Amber Glenn says she will not visit White House to celebrate Olympic gold

• Glenn says she will skip White House visit

• US skater won team gold in Milano Cortina

Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn has said she will not visit Donald Trump’s White House to celebrate winning gold at the Winter Olympics.

Glenn, who won team gold at the Milano Cortina Games last month, identifies as pansexual and bisexual, and has been an outspoken critic of the Republican president.

Published: March 6, 2026, 9:29 pm

In a male-dominated game, Kylian Mbappé’s career is largely run by women

In an extract from his book, Philippe Auclair reveals the influence of mother, Fayza, and prominent women on the Mbappé image and brand

The Mbappés did their utmost to keep outsiders at arm’s length from the outset. The agents – dozens of them – who approached them to become Kylian’s representatives ever since the eight-year-old was making fun of defenders twice his size with Bondy were rebuffed. The financial advisers who offered to broker sponsorship deals met with the same response: father Wilfrid would take care of his son’s sporting career, mother Fayza of all the rest, with Kylian having the final word in any decision involving his future, be it on or off the field; and so it has remained to this day. Kylian does not have a Fifa-registered agent. Nobody but the closest members of his family gets a cut from the deals he signs with clubs or commercial partners. This is not to say that nobody else is involved in the projet.

Luís Campos, sporting adviser for the clubs owned by Qatar Sports Investments after fulfilling a similar role for Lille and Monaco, remains a trusted confidant, as he’s been since playing a central role in smoothing the difficulties the young Kylian encountered at Monaco. Former L’Équipe journalist Bilel Ghazi, who, though unlicensed by Fifa, has been working with players like Rayan Cherki (whom Kylian’s mother Fayza also represented for a short while), has provided media guidance to the Mbappés. Neither Campos nor Ghazi are part of the inner circle, however.

Published: March 7, 2026, 8:00 am

While Trump monetises war, Iran women’s team deliver great act of sporting heroism | Barney Ronay

In refusing to sing the national anthem these athletes have placed themselves in grave danger while Gianni Infantino sides with the American war machine

A small but telling detail from a vast and baffling chain of events. You probably saw the footage of Donald Trump’s declaration of war on Iran two weeks ago, a piece of history played out in real time, a moment where the inevitable violent deaths of thousands of people were in effect announced.

In the video Trump is shown propped up at his plinth, using that sing-song intonation he employs to appear cod-statesmanlike, faux-grave, but sounding instead like a semi-sentient robot vacuum cleaner in the seconds before it runs out of battery life. To the great people of Iran. America is backing you. Don’t go outside. It’s very dangerous out there. We will for the foreseeable future be bombing you to freedom.

Published: March 6, 2026, 7:00 pm

England v Iceland: Women’s World Cup qualifying – live

⚽ Updates from the qualifier kicking off at 12.30pm GMT
⚽ Live scores | Read Moving the Goalposts | Mail Emillia

Before kick-off, there is a minute’s applause to celebrate the life and legacy of Lynda Hale, who passed away recently.

Hale played and scored in England’s first-ever fixture.

Published: March 7, 2026, 1:09 pm

Liverpool Women’s total wage bill less than club directors, accounts reveal

• WSL side’s turnover rose by 25% in year of record investment

• Total wage bill was £3.1m while nine directors paid £4.2m

Liverpool directors earned more in pay than the combined salaries of all their Women’s Super League side’s 49 players and staff, latest accounts reveal.

Liverpool Women’s total operating budget climbed by 36% for the year ending 31 May 2025, when they finished seventh in the WSL and reached the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals.

Published: March 7, 2026, 9:35 am

Andre Gray’s pedigree preps Port Vale for Sunderland test on unlikely FA Cup run

Veteran striker who played in 2019 final brings experience to League One club in fifth round for first time in 30 years

There is no shortage of FA Cup pedigree at Port Vale. Emblazoned on plaques and walls around Vale Park are memories of their 1996 victory against Everton under the legendary manager John Rudge. That 2-1 victory, in a fourth-round replay having held the Cup holders at Goodison Park, was the last time Vale had reached the fifth round until Tuesday’s extra-time win over Bristol City. Now Sunderland await at Vale Park on Sunday – another chance to make history.

“It’s been 30 years since we’ve been to this stage – but it’s now about putting in a performance that can be memorable,” said their head coach, Jon Brady. “You want to put in performances they can go home talking about, and that they can be proud of. You want to see smiles on faces and people feeling really upbeat about the team. You want to create special memories that will live long, and the other night will live long in the players’ and fans’ memories.”

Published: March 7, 2026, 12:00 pm

He was meant to take De Bruyne’s crown. Instead, Foden’s City career is flatlining

Playmaker has become peripheral as Manchester City chase quadruple and is no longer a shoo-in for the World Cup

With 76 minutes gone at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, Phil Foden was culpable for what might prove the title race’s defining moment. With Manchester City leading Nottingham Forest 2-1, Foden lost Elliot Anderson, who ran off him and curled home a 20-yard equaliser. Sixty seconds later, Pep Guardiola substituted his England playmaker.

As Morgan Gibbs-White’s first equaliser could also be traced back to a loose Foden touch, this was a miserable evening for him: City managed only a draw, and as Arsenal won at Brighton, the title race tilted the Gunners’ way.

Published: March 6, 2026, 10:30 pm

‘I sat in his seat’: Southampton’s Tonda Eckert on sauna beers with Klose and his unlikely career path

Youthful manager on his colourful journey as a coach from Germany and Sunday’s FA Cup fifth round trip to Fulham

As a 19-year-old studying at a sports university in Cologne, Tonda Eckert jumped at the chance to work for Germany as an analyst at Euro 2012. “It was nice, eh? Take somebody who doesn’t understand anything about the game and put them in,” says the now Southampton head coach, smiling as he recalls being thrust into an elite environment. He entered the same sphere as Joachim Löw, Hansi Flick and a team of greats: Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, the list goes on.

For the 2014 World Cup, Eckert was tasked with preparing a dossier on Argentina, who Germany overcame in the final. “The celebrations in Berlin were amazing, at the Fanmeile,” he says of the scenes at the fan zone by Brandenburg Gate. In the semi-finals, Germany humiliated the hosts Brazil, triumphing 7-1 in Belo Horizonte. “You know what Joachim Löw said at half-time? That he wouldn’t let anyone play in the final if they didn’t finish the second half with a sense of humility, because he knew how much it meant to Brazil, in Brazil.”

Published: March 7, 2026, 8:00 am

Robertson and Salah help Liverpool to redemption over Wolves in FA Cup tie

This time around, Liverpool made no mistake at Molineux. They stayed on the road to Wembley, thanks to two players signed in 2017, beloved veterans with uncertain futures. Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah scored the goals to ease the pain of Tuesday’s Premier League defeat before Curtis Jones’s strike completed a night of relative comfort. Wolves crashed back to the reality of eight remaining top-flight matches before the drop. Their goal from Hwang Hee-chan came far too late.

While Arne Slot expresses disappointment at the Premier League’s entertainment levels, a verdict hostage to fortune on Tuesday, his starting selection suggested an FA Cup exit would not be countenanced. Winning the trophy will not offer full job security but losing twice at the top flight’s bottom club in three days, a potentially telling blow, was avoided.

Published: March 6, 2026, 10:10 pm

Premier League chiefs hold talks on rise of set pieces amid concern over quality

• Top flight directors discuss holding in penalty area

• Set pieces account for 27.1% of Premier League goals

The Premier League’s sporting directors have held talks about the ubiquity of set-piece goals and holding in the penalty area, amid concerns these trends are damaging the spectacle.

Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, said this week that his “football heart doesn’t like it”, when asked about the growing importance of set pieces, which have been responsible for 27.1% of Premier League goals this season, excluding penalties.

Published: March 6, 2026, 4:13 pm

Voronchikhina wins Russia’s first medal of Winter Paralympics with downhill bronze

• Skier’s medal is country’s first success since 2014

• Bugaev later claims another bronze in men’s event

Russia has won its first Winter Paralympic medals since 2014 as Varvara Voronchikhina and Aleksei Bugaev claimed bronze in the women’s and men’s downhill standing events in Cortina on Saturday morning.

Vorinchikhina, whose success means Russia will appear on an international medal table for the first time in 12 years, spoke of her pride at being able to compete under her own flag. “It’s a really long time when we were without the flag, and I’m really glad [now],” she said.

“All my country and all my teammates, we [are] glad. I’m very happy because it’s [the] first medal for me. It was a bronze, but I’m really happy.”

Published: March 7, 2026, 1:01 pm

Australia v India: one-off women’s cricket Test, day two – live

• Updates from the day-night Test at the Waca in Perth

• Any thoughts? Email Rob

35th over: Australia 129-3 (Perry 58, Sutherland 38) Gaud is keeping it neat, tempting Australia. Sutherland, winner of the Belinda Clark award last year, square drives with elegance for three.

34th over: Australia 125-3 (Perry 57, Sutherland 35) Now Sutherland gets in on the act, a straight drive off Sayali to ice a wedding cake. From the commentary box to the crowd, everyone purrs.

Published: March 7, 2026, 12:52 pm

McCullum hits back at ‘unfair’ critics and says England can ‘achieve something special’

• Impression of ‘casual operation couldn’t be further from truth’

• Head coach hails captain Harry Brook’s ‘amazing job’

Brendon McCullum has defended his record as head coach after England’s elimination from the T20 World Cup, insisting the white-ball side will “achieve some special stuff”, but only if their talent is “harnessed the right way”.

The Guardian revealed on Friday that McCullum is to remain in his post despite the disappointment of a 4-1 Ashes series defeat, England’s semi-finals exit and widespread criticism of the New Zealander’s methods.

Published: March 7, 2026, 12:00 pm

FA Cup fifth round, Wrexham eye shock, Lionesses build up – matchday live, as it happened

⚽ News, buildup and discussion before day’s action
⚽ Live scores | Read Football Daily | And mail us here

Wrexham’s last five results:

Charlton 0-1 Wrexham

Wrexham 2-1 Portsmouth

Wrexham 5-3 Ipswich

Bristol City 2-2 Wrexham

Wrexham 1-0 Ipswich (FA Cup)

Published: March 7, 2026, 12:00 pm

Defending champion Norris slams ‘worst’ F1 cars after torrid Australian GP qualifying

• Briton is one of three champions scathing of new regulations

• Overhaul had made the cars go from ‘best to worst’ in a season

Three world champions – Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris – have delivered a damning verdict on Formula One’s regulations overhaul after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.

Norris, McLaren’s defending champion, was scathing of the changes, saying that driving the car “sucks” and they were probably the “worst” ever made, while Hamilton criticised the new engine and chassis rules as “completely against” F1’s principles.

Published: March 7, 2026, 11:07 am

Formula One: 2026 Australian Grand Prix qualifying – as it happened

George Russell edges Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli to claim pole, while world champion Lando Norris qualifies sixth in Melbourne

There’s a renewed sense of optimism at Ferrari this season, one that, Giles Richards writes, is reflected in the spirit of Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton, F1’s first black race driver, has also taken the opportunity at the first race of the season to call for a movement to “take Africa back” and shed the influence of former colonial powers, as well as reiterated his desire to see F1 bring a race to the continent.

Published: March 7, 2026, 6:34 am

WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale arrested after Unrivaled title celebration

• WNBA star arrested after Unrivaled title win

• Police say Ogunbowale punched man at Miami club

• Wings guard released following battery charge

Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery after police say she punched a man in the face at a Miami nightclub.

A four-time WNBA All-Star, Ogunbowale was celebrating early Thursday at the club E11EVEN after winning the Unrivaled championship with the Mist that night. According to Miami-Dade County police records, Ogunbowale punched the man in the face, knocking him to the ground, and security cameras captured the act.

Published: March 6, 2026, 9:39 pm

Tiger Woods’ wavering over captaincy undermines US Ryder Cup ambitions

Woods says he has PGA commitments but knows he would be up against a detail-obsessed Luke Donald in 2027

Chatter on the Bay Hill range this week has suggested the prospect of Tiger Woods making a return to competitive action at next month’s Masters may actually be more than a tale of fantasy. There is even the suggestion Woods could test his competitive ability at a stop on the senior Champions Tour between now and Augusta National. If nothing else, the mere discussion keeps sponsors happy.

One never really knows with Woods, whose schedule was always mysterious by design, but his addition to the Masters field would naturally turn heads. Having not played a mainstream tournament since the Open of 2024 – and with an injury record as long as the Trans-Siberian railway – Woods will presumably at some point have to prove he can either remain a relevant part of majors or succumb to the kind of sad, hard-to-watch existence that has befallen scores of sportspeople before him. It is at least fair to say he does not have many Masters left.

Published: March 6, 2026, 5:54 pm

Emma Aicher pips Breezy Johnson at Val di Fassa to close on Vonn and Shiffrin

• Aicher trims Vonn’s downhill lead to just 14 points

• Pirovano wins first race in 125th World Cup start

• USA’s Johnson third as overall title race tightens

With neither injured Lindsey Vonn nor Mikaela Shiffrin starting a World Cup downhill on Friday, Emma Aicher seized her chance to cut the American superstars’ leads in the season-long standings.

Aicher, the Olympic downhill silver medalist, placed second – just 0.01 behind first-time winner Laura Pirovano, pushing Olympic champion Breezy Johnson down to third – and reduced Vonn’s lead in the downhill points race to just 14 with two races left.

Published: March 6, 2026, 1:13 pm