NBA playoff predictions 2026: the winner, key players and dark horses

Will an Oklahoma City repeat end an NBA-record run of seven different champions in seven years? Our writers make their picks ahead of Saturday’s postseason tip-off

Wemby will no doubt be the answer to this question at some point in the (perhaps not-too-distant) future. But for now, I defer to those with at least some playoff experience. For my money, Jokić still reigns supreme as the best player alive, and for that reason, he’s my pick. CDL

Published: April 17, 2026, 10:00 am

Why Arsenal are still the favourites to win the Premier League

Manchester City gained ground last weekend but the league leaders have plenty of reasons to remain positive

By Opta Analyst

Last weekend was nightmarish for Arsenal. They lost at home to Bournemouth on Saturday with a flat, disjointed performance, and matters deteriorated further the following day when Manchester City beat Chelsea convincingly at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal’s lead at the Premier League summit has narrowed from nine points to six, and City still have a game in hand.

The two sides meet at the Etihad on Sunday for a match that could define the title race. The narrative pretty much writes itself: City win that game, then win their game in hand, and the title is surely theirs given how strong they are at the end of the season. That scenario is being talked about as an inevitability in some quarters, as though Arsenal have already let things slip.

Published: April 17, 2026, 11:00 am

‘Don’t you dare count us out’: KC women’s sports mogul hails US rugby double-header

Kansas City Current soccer co-owner Angie Long played the oval-ball game at college. Now she’s hosting a crunch game between the Eagles and Australia

Angie Long is co-owner with her husband Chris of the Kansas City Current, contenders in NWSL, proud occupants of the CPKC Stadium, built for the burgeoning world of women’s pro soccer. But on Friday night the venue will host a different sport, one Long fell for long ago. Rugby.

“I think we might be sold out,” Long said, of the US Eagles’ match-up with the Australian Wallaroos in a Pacific Four Series double-header, New Zealand facing Canada first.

Martin Pengelly writes about rugby in the US on Substack, at The National Maul.

Published: April 17, 2026, 10:00 am

LIV Golf ‘business as usual’ but chief admits rebel tour may need to raise money

• Scott O’Neil rejects claims LIV is close to collapse

• ‘Structural changes’ afoot, chief executive says

LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil admitted the nascent golf league’s finances are “managed very tightly” and said structural changes are on the way that would probably mean they need to raise money, but he remained adamant the league will not fold.

He was interviewed by LIV employees during the TV broadcast of the first round of the rebel tour’s Mexico City leg, a day after reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was to cut its funding for the league it helped launch in 2022.

Published: April 17, 2026, 10:26 am

Chess: Sindarov wins Candidates with record total, while Vaishali takes women’s event

The Uzbek 20-year-old won first prize unbeaten but his girlfriend, Bibisara Assaubayeva, finished second to the lowest seed in the Women’s Candidates

Javokhir Sindarov finished with a record total in the world championship Candidates in Pegeia, western Cyprus, as the 20-year-old from Uzbekistan won the competition with a record 10/14 total, 1.5 points clear of his nearest rival, Anish Giri. The Women’s Candidates was won by India’s 24-year-old Vaishali Rameshbabu, half a point ahead of Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva, who is also Sindarov’s girlfriend.

Sindarov dominated the field with a controlled display reminiscent of the old Soviet master Mikhail Botvinnik. His pre-game preparation was exceptional, several times accurately predicting what would appear on the board right into the endgame. On the rare occasions when he was under pressure, as in his second game against the world No 3 and US champion, Fabiano Caruana, his defensive technique was precise and assured.

Published: April 17, 2026, 7:00 am

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

A seismic clash between City and Arsenal, Tottenham need leadership, and could Eddie Howe recall Yoane Wissa?

Josh King learned of the difficulties that come with being a Premier League player at Liverpool on Sunday. The 19-year-old was withdrawn at the break after a tough first half at Anfield as Marco Silva wanted to change things when two goals down. It will be interesting to see how King reacts to the half-time hook when he is next called upon, whether he uses it as inspirational fuel or sees it as an undeserved irritation because he was not solely to blame for Fulham being behind. Silva will have a quandary over whether to start the youngster again or leave him stewing on the bench, offering a further reminder of what is required at the top level. King has impressed over the season and at this stage of a player’s development it is sometimes a good idea to see what lessons are learned from a challenging moment. Will Unwin

Brentford v Fulham, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Leeds v Wolves, Saturday 3pm

Newcastle v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

Tottenham v Brighton, Saturday 5.30pm

Chelsea v Manchester United, Saturday 8pm

Published: April 16, 2026, 11:01 pm

Gout Gout eases into 100m semis to leave shot at breaking 10-second barrier on hold

• Sprint sensation clocks fastest time in heats with 10.19sec in Brisbane

• 18-year-old takes aim at ‘haters’ during national junior championships
  

Gout Gout has tuned his legs for a showdown in under two months against American superstar Noah Lyles with a solid opening run over 100m at the national junior championships in Brisbane on Friday.

Five days after becoming the 16th fastest 200m runner ever by clocking 19.67sec at the national championships in Sydney, the teenager backed up at the shorter distance against athletes his own age.

Published: April 17, 2026, 4:23 am

Ticket to ride? Fifa premium makes this the World Cup that actively hates you | Jonathan Liew

The $95 bus trip to Foxborough highlights a tournament unique in modern times – one that ultimately makes no secret of its disdain for the paying public

Like any journalist with an unerring nose for an offbeat feature, my interest was sharply piqued by this week’s announcement of the $95 bus ride. What magnificent accoutrements might conceivably justify the £70 fare for a half-hour journey from south Boston to Foxborough? An at-seat shiatsu? A pool deck? A five-course dining experience? A brief but moving Céline Dion set in the aisles? At the very least, I felt I owed it to my profession to find out for sure.

Alas upon closer investigation, the Boston Stadium Express being launched for this summer’s World Cup appears to be an entirely regular bus journey on an entirely regular bus with entirely regular bus seats. Your non-refundable ticket – no child concessions – entitles you simply to be dropped off a 15-minute walk from the ground, and picked up again from the same place. There is, in short, no more complex rationale for the Boston organising committee to charge £70 than the fact that they can, and the World Cup only comes once, and if you don’t want to pay then some other rube will.

Published: April 16, 2026, 7:00 am

Tiger Woods mentioned drones over home and car, ‘president’ in remarks after crash, filing shows

• Filing details remarks about drones over home

• Woods said he spoke to ‘the president’ after crash

• Prosecutors seek access to prescription records

Tiger Woods told police he had taken multiple prescription medications, including Vicodin, on the day of a crash that led to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court filings released on Wednesday.

The filing, submitted by prosecutors in Florida as part of routine pretrial discovery and obtained by the Guardian, also details a series of unusual remarks Woods made to officers at the scene of the 27 March crash in Hobe Sound, including references to drones flying over his home and a claim that he had spoken to “the president”.

Published: April 16, 2026, 8:17 pm

Premier League heads for crunch weekend, Haaland ready for Arsenal ‘final’, Chelsea back Rosenior – football live

⚽ Fixtures | Latest tables | Premier League top scorers
⚽ Premier League: 10 things to look out for | Mail Simon

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby. Here he is on Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles tendon injury which has ruled the Frenchman out for the rest of the season and this summer’s World Cup.

He hasn’t been operated on yet. Devastating for him coming to a new club having so much impact straight away. Playing against your former club in the Champions League quarter-final with so much to come for him in the summer.

My first thoughts are with him being out for such a long time, missing out on so many special moments. But it is not the first and not the last player who experienced something like this at the start of their career, and there are so many examples of players coming back even stronger.

Published: April 17, 2026, 11:42 am

Roberto De Zerbi is a tactician but the Spurs job is about giving players belief

He has to convince a team that has not won in 14 matches that they have what it takes to stay in the Premier League

By WhoScored

Spurs won a European trophy 10 months ago, are the ninth richest club in the world and play in a billion-pound stadium. They are also in relegation scrap with six games to play in the Premier League season. Tottenham are 18th in the league, having picked up just 30 points from 32 games.

Fourteen games without a win. Five points from the last 42 available. No victories in 2026. The numbers alone would normally confirm relegation as a formality. Roberto De Zerbi has become their fourth manager in the last 12 months in a move that feels less like a rescue mission and more like a last roll of the dice.

Published: April 17, 2026, 7:00 am

Watkins breaks record as Aston Villa cruise past Bologna into all-English semi-final

Ollie Watkins kickstarted Aston ­Villa’s perfect evening as his 100th goal for the club enabled Unai Emery’s side to cruise into an all-English Europa League semi-final against ­Nottingham Forest.

The England striker, seeking a late recall into Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, tapped home in the 16th minute before goals from Emiliano Buendía and Morgan Rogers, making amends for a spurned penalty, put the tie to bed by half-time.

Published: April 16, 2026, 9:04 pm

Gibbs-White’s early strike decisive as Nottingham Forest edge past 10-man Porto

The final whistle brought a second of relief before the celebrations truly kicked in after Nottingham Forest secured a place in the Europa League semi-finals. It should have been easier but nothing is simple at the City Ground as they made hard work of overcoming Porto, who played almost the entire match with 10 men.

Morgan Gibbs-White settled the match, to set up an all-English clash with Aston Villa for a place in the final. His goal came in the aftermath of Jan Bednarek’s early sending off and should have laid the foundations for more but Forest’s finishing was poor, forcing them to grind out the victory by surviving Porto hitting the crossbar twice. Even so, the ultimate jubilation was reminiscent of those great nights of the 1980s under Brian Clough when the club last reached this stage in Europe.

Published: April 16, 2026, 9:04 pm

Crystal Palace hold off Fiorentina as Sarr powers Conference League dream

What a time it is to be a Crystal Palace supporter. Twelve months ago, the south London club was still waiting to win their first major trophy and even the most optimistic fan could never have imagined that they would be contesting the semi-final of a European competition.

Despite a few anxious moments when a motivated Fiorentina team cut the deficit from last week’s 3-0 defeat in the first leg at Selhurst Park to just two goals with half an hour still to play, Oliver Glasner’s side showed their growing maturity at this level to progress to a last four showdown with Shakhtar Donetsk. While Palace made things far more uncomfortable for themselves after Ismaïla Sarr’s early header, even the loss of Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix to injuries before half-time could not knock them off their stride against opponents who have twice been beaten finalists in this competition and gave it their best shot.

Published: April 16, 2026, 9:12 pm

Alex Manninger, former Arsenal goalkeeper, dies aged 48 after road accident

• Austrian was capped 33 times for his national team

• Manninger won Premier League during Arsenal spell

Alex Manninger, the former goalkeeper who helped Arsenal win the Double in 1998, has died in a car accident in Austria, aged 48.

His first club, Red Bull Salzburg, broke the sad news on Thursday. The Austrian Bundesliga club said in a post on its official X account: “We mourn our former goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in peace, Alexander.”

Published: April 16, 2026, 1:51 pm

Iran footballers granted asylum in Australia vow to continue chasing sporting dream

• Former Iranian women’s team players ‘overwhelmed’ by support

• Ramezanisadeh and Pasandideh have trained with Brisbane Roar

The two members of the Iran football team who remained in Australia after the Women’s Asian Cup are beginning their new lives away from the spotlight, even if their dream is to return to elite football.

Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh issued a statement on Friday saying they “respectfully ask” for “privacy and space”.

Published: April 17, 2026, 1:04 am

Lancashire to put matches behind paywall; Hampshire v Somerset, and more: county cricket – live

Updates from the first day’s play in the latest round
Sign up for The Spin | Mail Tanya or comment BTL

Bad news for Lancs at Bristol, where Ajeet Singh Dale seems to have done something nasty to his hamstring and has limped off. A real shame on his return to his old club. Glos 8-0.

A fascinating piece by Emma John, with a mention of Benny Howell of Hants, Glos and more.

Published: April 17, 2026, 11:50 am

Carlton and AFL throw support behind Elijah Hollands after ‘mental health episode’

• Blues player displayed erratic behaviour in game against Magpies

• Coach Michael Voss said 23-year-old was left ‘shattered’ by his performance

The AFL has joined Carlton in supporting a “shattered” Elijah Hollands after the Blues utility suffered a mental health episode during a close loss to Collingwood.

Hollands initially ended Thursday night’s 13.10 (88) to 12.11 (83) defeat at the MCG without registering a statistic, despite playing 75% of the match across the first three quarters.

Published: April 17, 2026, 8:53 am

Hull fans and players unite behind ‘betrayed’ coach Cartwright as St Helens go top

• Hull 14-24 St Helens

• Battling display in defeat feels like coach’s last stand

There is rarely a shortage of emotion and passion in this particular part of the rugby league world but even by the usually high standards set in Hull, this was a night many, least of all their head coach, will never forget.

On any other night, the headline would be St Helens producing another impressive statement of their title credentials to go top of Super League. But this was no ordinary night: perhaps underlined not necessarily by the action on the field, but by what transpired after Saints’ win over Hull FC.

Published: April 16, 2026, 10:21 pm

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Porto (agg 2-1): Europa League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

Morgan Gibbs-White scored the only goal against a resilient ten-man Porto, as Forest reached their first European semi-final for 42 years

4 min: Sangare releases Gibbs-White down the right. Promising for Forest … until the whistle goes, Sangare having come through the back of Alberto Costa on the touchline. The correct decision, if annoyingly belated from a Forest point of view, everyone all excited for a second.

2 min: It’s an absolutely belting atmosphere, both sets of fans giving it plenty. But Porto nearly quieten the home fans in short order, Moffi latching onto a prod down the inside-right channel and attempting to flick past Ortega. The Forest keeper swipes away. The rebound falls to William Gomes, who blazes over. Yikes.

Published: April 16, 2026, 9:25 pm

Aston Villa 4-0 Bologna (7-1 on agg): Europa League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

Ollie Watkins’s 100th Aston Villa goal set up a dominant victory as Unai Emery’s side teed up a semi-final with Nottingham Forest

3 mins: A few Villa players are a yellow card away from suspension: Cash, Rogers, McGinn, Digne and substitute Victor Lindelof. Bookings are wiped out for the semi-finals, but suspensions aren’t, so all five must tread carefully.

2 mins: Emi Buendia tries to bend one on target from the edge of the area, but sees his shot blocked.

Published: April 16, 2026, 9:08 pm

‘We’ve got to wake up and smell the coffee’: Tony Rowe on Exeter’s new American frontier

As West Country club join rugby’s modern-day gold rush, their chair looks forward to some US razzmatazz and a possible Prem expansion into Wales

Tony Rowe has not yet had time to ensure Exeter’s proposed new American owners feel fully at home in the west. On a damp morning at Sandy Park no one is wearing a Stetson hat and there is not even a horse tied up outside reception. Maybe that will be part of the handover package assuming the Chiefs’ 700-odd members vote in favour next month of proceeding with the sale of their 155-year-old club.

The winds of change, though, are kicking up the local dust. For the past 33 years Rowe has been integral to one of British team sport’s most romantic Cinderella stories. But romance doesn’t pay the bills in modern pro rugby and times are a-changing. At 77 years old, it is easy to understand why Rowe fancies handing over the reins to a smartly dressed stranger from out of town.

Published: April 17, 2026, 10:00 am

LIV golf stars face career limbo with Saudi investment expected to end in 2026

• LIV chief’s rallying email to staff did not refer to 2027

• Without alternative funding future is bleak for rebel tour

Several of golf’s leading names are facing career limbo at the end of 2026 amid expectation Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will withdraw backing for the LIV Tour.

While the likelihood is Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm will be afforded a pathway back to the PGA Tour, the future for others who made lucrative switches to LIV is far more uncertain.

Published: April 16, 2026, 4:53 pm

Champions League review: cunning Kane, PSG click into form and a bloodied pundit

The semi-finals are set after a dazzling meeting between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. But there was plenty more to talk about in the last eight

Bayern Munich’s thrilling 4-3 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday, which gave them a 6-4 victory on aggregate and set up a semi-final meeting with PSG, was a stone-cold classic. If either of the semis is as good as Real and Bayern’s quarter-final, this season will have been blessed. Arda Güler showed off his brilliance on Wednesday, first with his presence of mind after Manuel Neuer’s mistake led to the opening goal and again from a free-kick in the 29th minute. Güler’s goals gave Madrid hope, but Harry Kane made another difficult finish look routine before Luis Díaz and Michael Olise’s late goals settled the tie. Bayern’s wing wizards were crucial in defeating the 15-time champions. This game had it all. That includes controversy, with a post-match scuffle set off by Madrid players enraged by Eduardo Camavinga’s dismissal for two quickfire yellow cards. Neuer, the hero of the first leg, had his blushes saved by his Bayern teammates, though one save from Kylian Mbappé was him at his best, combining reflexes with brute strength. Fine margins decided a battle of the giants.

Published: April 16, 2026, 1:35 pm

Curry and Green roll back the years to keep Warriors’ season alive: ‘For one night, we’re us’

• Curry scores 35 points in dazzling display of shooting

• Golden State face Phoenix for place in playoffs

• 76ers progress after win over Orlando Magic

Stephen Curry hit seven three-pointers while scoring 35 points with a dazzling display of his unmatched shooting skill as the Golden State Warriors won Wednesday’s play-in game against the Los Angeles Clippers to keep their season alive.

Curry wasn’t the only Warriors player rolling back the years. In the fourth quarter, Draymond Green bodied up to Kawhi Leonard and utterly shut down one of the greatest scorers of their generation.

Published: April 16, 2026, 11:41 am