US men’s hockey team visit White House as some players with Minnesota ties stay away

• Donald Trump invited team after Olympic gold

• Women’s team chose to skip event

The victorious US Olympic men’s ice hockey team visited the White House on Tuesday, although there were several notable absences.

Donald Trump invited the team to celebrate in Washington DC after they beat Canada in a dramatic Olympic final on Sunday. He also invited the US women’s team, who declined citing “timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments”.

Published: February 24, 2026, 10:40 pm

US basketball player Jarred Shaw escaped execution in Indonesia, but his prison ordeal continues

The Texan made the mistake of his life when he ordered gummies to soothe symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Now his health is suffering in a foreign jail

Jarred Shaw is locked up in an Indonesian prison – but at least he isn’t facing execution, something that appeared a possibility less than a year ago.

The 35-year-old American was a key member of the Prawira Bandung team who won the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, the latest highlight in a fascinating professional career that had taken him to countries as varied as Tunisia, Lebanon, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Published: February 24, 2026, 10:00 am

World Cup host cities ‘running out of time’ with $625m in funding held up by shutdown

• Funds promised for security have not been received

• Officials warn of potential cancellations to fan festivals

Local and national officials expressed concern on Tuesday that the ongoing partial government shutdown in the United States could adversely affect planning and preparation for the 2026 World Cup, which is just over 100 days away.

In a hearing before the House committee on homeland security, representatives from Miami, Kansas City and New Jersey – three locations that will host a combined total of 21 matches in the tournament, including the final – said they are still waiting on federal funds to be released to their respective local agencies. Last July, lawmakers pledged $625m in federal assistance toward World Cup security via the Trump administration’s “big beautiful” policy bill.

Published: February 24, 2026, 8:37 pm

Champions League: Bodø/Glimt send Inter crashing out, Sørloth seals Atlético’s spot

• Norwegian side win 2-1 in Milan to seal giant-killing upset

• Atlético defeat Club Brugge; Bayer Leverkusen progress

Bodø/Glimt dumped last season’s finalists Inter out of the Champions League with a remarkable 2-1 win at San Siro in their playoff second leg that sent the Norwegian minnows through to the last 16, 5-2 on aggregate.

Under sustained pressure, the visitors struck in the 58th minute when Ole Didrik Blomberg seized on a loose pass on the edge of the Inter area and drove at goal. Yann Sommer pushed his shot away but Jens Petter Hauge reacted quickest to convert the rebound from close range.

Published: February 24, 2026, 10:23 pm

US hockey was bathed in a golden Olympic glow. Then Donald Trump and Kash Patel stepped in | Beau Dure

The US men’s and women’s teams claimed titles at the Winter Games this past week. The warm fuzzy feelings didn’t last long

Keeping politics at arm’s length for the US men’s hockey team’s gold-medal matchup with Canada was always going to be difficult.

The game fell on the 46th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, when an underdog group of US college players upset the mighty Soviet Union team against the backdrop of the cold war. But the US team who took the ice on Sunday were no plucky band of amateurs making a stand for democracy against authoritarianism – a point underscored when the US and Canada met last year in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Canadian fans booed the Star-Spangled Banner and the US players, either unaware of, or unsympathetic to, Canadian desires to be neither the 51st US state nor the USA’s opponent in a scorched-earth trade war, dropped the gloves to fight their opponents as soon as the game commenced.

Published: February 24, 2026, 3:46 pm

If you think politics shaped these Winter Olympics, just wait until LA 2028

In Milan, athletes showed that patriotism can be generous. In Los Angeles, that definition will be tested on the biggest, loudest stage sport can offer

The Milano Cortina Winter Games ended on Sunday night as the Olympics always do: in light, spectacle and speeches about unity. In Verona, the Olympic flag passed to the French Alps and the twin flames were extinguished. But unofficially, at least, a flame also flickered 6,000 miles west.

If these Games felt political, just wait until Los Angeles a little more than two years from now.

Published: February 24, 2026, 11:00 am

Swansea bow to co-owner Snoop Dogg with guard of honour before kick-off

• American rapper arrives to see draw against Preston

• Ipswich close on second after Middlesbrough drop points

The Swansea City co-owner Snoop Dogg was greeted with twirling towels and a guard of honour on his first visit to the Welsh club. The American rapper, who is a minority owner of the Championship club alongside the television host Martha Stewart and Croatia international Luka Modric, made his first appearance at the Swansea.com Stadium for Tuesday’s clash with Preston.

Snoop Dogg joined the Swansea ownership group last July and made his way to south-west Wales after being at the Winter Olympics, where he served as Team USA’s honorary coach as well as a special correspondent for broadcaster NBC.

Published: February 24, 2026, 11:33 pm

‘Resilience is the biggest lesson’: Emma Raducanu is ready for revival after setbacks

In Japan to announce her switch to Uniqlo, the British No 1 says frustrations only fuel the fire as she looks to Indian Wells and beyond

Emma Raducanu has no immediate plans to appoint a new coach as she attempts to kickstart a frustrating season in the US next month. The British No 1 will play at Indian Wells and in the Miami Open in March without a full-time replacement for Francisco Roig – her ninth coach since she turned professional – with whom she parted company after her second-round exit at the Australian Open in January.

“Right now I wouldn’t say I’m actively looking for a coach,” Raducanu says in Tokyo, where on Tuesday she was unveiled as a global brand ambassador for the Japanese clothes retailer Uniqlo after ending her association with Nike.

Published: February 24, 2026, 6:44 am

Football Daily | How CPR on a seagull helped restore moral goodness to Turkish football

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!

It’s not been the best time for Turkish football in recent months, what with the suspension of 149 match officials and more than 1,000 players relating to a betting scandal. Ouch. But events in a seventh-tier match at the weekend brought some much-needed moral goodness back to the game there when a player revived a seagull that had been struck down by a flying ball. Yep, you read that right. Let’s start at the beginning shall we. Istanbul Yurdum Spor goalkeeper Muhammed Uyanik picked the ball up in the 22nd minute of a fierce battle with Mevlanakapi Guzelhisar, with the winner taking home the league title. Seeing no short options available, he went route one, pinging the ball high into the air only to see his clearance thud against a low-flying gull that spiralled in the air like a downed fighter-jet before dropping to the floor with a sickening thud.

Published: February 24, 2026, 4:03 pm

Newcastle finish off Qarabag in rapid time to set up Chelsea or Barcelona tie

Eddie Howe adores motivational slogans and the Newcastle manager’s current favourite is: “One Brain.” The idea is to inspire his team to play with the sort of synchronicity that stems from a collective mindset and unity of purpose.

For a while here it seemed to be working a treat with Newcastle’s intelligence – joint and individual – threatening to further humiliate Qarabag. But then, with a last-16 tie against either Barcelona or Chelsea assured, home concentration began, understandably, wandering a little. Commendably, the Azerbaijani title holders capitalised by fighting back; Gurban Gurbanov’s side, and, in particular, their Colombian forward Camilo Durán, showing they can play a bit too.

Published: February 24, 2026, 10:00 pm

West Brom sack head coach Eric Ramsay after only 44 days in charge

• Coach failed to win any of his nine games since MLS move

• James Morrison is put in interim charge of the strugglers

West Brom have sacked their head coach Eric Ramsay after just 44 days in charge at the Hawthorns.

The 34-year-old was appointed on a two-and-a-half-year deal on 11 January following the departure of Ryan Mason but has failed to win any of his nine matches in charge.

Published: February 25, 2026, 12:22 am

Williamson refuses to rule out strike action amid player overload concerns

• England captain concerned by relentless growth of game

• Ukraine World Cup qualifier set for Hill Dickinson Stadium

England’s captain, Leah Williamson, has said she would never take the possibility of strike action off the table if players are not listened to over scheduling concerns.

Speaking before England’s first two World Cup qualifiers, against Ukraine in Turkey and Iceland in Nottingham next week, Williamson said drastic action was “always a possibility” with talk of player overloading at the highest level a growing concern.

Published: February 24, 2026, 8:27 pm

David Squires on … a dose of reality for Igor Tudor after Arsenal’s visit to Dr Tottenham

Our cartoonist on the north London derby and some uncomfortable truths for the interim Spurs manager

• Buy this cartoon | David’s favourite work of 2025

• And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now

Published: February 24, 2026, 11:03 am

The rise of Porto Women: ‘We wanted players who had a connection with the club’

Former Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas has played a big part in the club’s work towards gender equality in all sports

For a team that did not have a women’s side until a year ago, Porto’s rise has been rapid. The first season ended with promotion from the third division and now they are on the verge of reaching the top flight, where they would finally compete with their rivals Benfica and Sporting.

Porto are top of the final phase of the second division championship, having won the first phase. The champions of the final phase are guaranteed promotion and the next two teams will take part in the playoffs. Porto are yet to concede a goal in a league game.

This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, visit this page and follow the instructions. Moving the Goalposts is delivered to your inboxes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Published: February 24, 2026, 12:00 pm

Inter stun Bodø/Glimt, Newcastle see off Qarabag: Champions League playoffs – as it happened

Newcastle won an entertaining low-stakes second leg against Qarabag, while Bodø/Glimt slayed European royalty at the San Siro

A short-corner routine by Atleti is pinged back down the left flank. Matteo Ruggeri crosses, the ball dropping onto the foot of Alexander Sørloth, who slots with a confident sidefoot from close range past the rooted Simon Mignolet. That’s a hat-trick for Sørloth, and Atleti will play either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16.

… so having said that, Atletico establish a two-goal lead, and are surely in the hat for Friday’s last-16 draw. Marcos Llorente plays a long ball down the inside-right channel for Alexander Sørloth, who should release Ademola Lookman into the box down the left. His pass across is poor, behind Lookman, but Antoine Griezmann comes over, offering himself as a wall for Lookman to ping the ball off. A one-two down the left, then Lookman crosses low. Sørloth can’t miss from six yards and that is surely that!

Published: February 24, 2026, 10:18 pm

Harry Brook relieved to lead England into last four after ‘the hardest winter of my life’

• Century secures win against Pakistan in T20 World Cup

• Brook: ‘It’s nice to see some rewards for my hard work’

Sometimes Harry Brook makes everything look easy but some of his recent experiences have been anything but painless, and after scoring a sublime century to steer his team into the World Cup semi-finals England’s white-ball captain described his past few months as “probably the hardest of my life”.

Brook endured a disappointing Ashes, scoring just two half-centuries and averaging 39.77, his second-worst in a Test series in which he has played more than a single innings. It was towards the end of his time in Australia that it was revealed he had got in to a drunken altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on the eve of the final fixture of his first overseas tour as an international captain, a controversy which has dogged him since.

Published: February 24, 2026, 8:42 pm

England edge past Pakistan: T20 Cricket World Cup Super 8s – as it happened

A brilliant century from Harry Brook helped England to a two-wicket win that qualified them for the semi-finals with a match to spare

Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Salman Ali Agha (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Fakhar Zaman, 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Usman Khan (wk), 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Salman Mirza, 11 Usman Tariq.

England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Tom Banton, 5 Harry Brook (capt), 6 Sam Curran, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Jamie Overton, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Adil Rashid.

Published: February 24, 2026, 5:25 pm

Harry Brook’s 50-ball century blazes England past Pakistan into T20 World Cup semi-finals

• Super 8s: England, 166-8, bt Pakistan, 164-9, by 2 wickets

• Captain Brook hits 100 to set up final-over win

For all their faults and frailties, their fluffs and fumbles, England are also the first team to secure a place in the World Cup semi-finals, their spot secured by victory over Pakistan and by the sensational Harry Brook century that drove them towards it.

After coming in just one ball into the innings and watching the rest of England’s top five falter, England’s captain transformed a crisis into what, for all that a couple of late wickets got the nerves jangling, became something approaching a cruise.

Published: February 24, 2026, 5:23 pm

Arbeloa and Courtois call on Uefa to take stand against racism after Vinícius incident

• Courtois: ‘This a moment for football to end these things’

• Real Madrid meet Benfica in second leg on Wednesday

Álvaro Arbeloa and Thibaut Courtois have called on Uefa to take a genuine stand against racism and change football following the alleged racist abuse of Vinícius Júnior by Gianluca Prestianni during Real Madrid’s Champions League playoff first leg at Benfica last week, with Arbeloa imploring the governing body to go beyond “just slogans” as the two teams prepare to meet again.

Courtois also expressed his disappointment with José Mourinho for linking the incident to Vinícius’s celebration of the only goal of the game in Lisbon and insisted suggestions that Prestianni’s defence might be that he instead used a homophobic slur would be “just as bad”.

Published: February 24, 2026, 3:25 pm

Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi to face trial for alleged rape

• 27-year-old Morocco international denies allegation

• Defender says trial ‘will allow the truth to come out’

Achraf Hakimi is to face trial for rape, the Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender confirmed via a social media post on Tuesday, going on to deny the allegation.

“Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial, even though I deny it and everything proves it’s false,” wrote Hakimi. “This is as unjust to the innocent as it is to the genuine victims. I calmly await this trial, which will allow the truth to come out publicly.”

Published: February 24, 2026, 12:48 pm