From bupkis to $100m blockbuster: has the World Baseball Classic finally arrived

The tournament is celebrating its 20th anniversary and some of the best players on the planet are competing for a title that means something

For years, while football fans salivated over Fifa World Cups, and basketball and hockey enthusiasts enjoyed an endless parade of NBA and NHL stars at the Olympics, baseball fans had bupkis, with no legitimate international tournament to speak of. Instead, there was something called the Baseball World Cup. Played without a Yankee, Cub or Dodger in sight, but with representatives from teams including the Montgomery Biscuits, Mexico Red Devils and Winnipeg Goldeyes, few fans in North America knew it existed, or when it was played. The only team with legit talent, Cuba, with players who could play in Major League Baseball, but did not because of politics, dominated the tournament.

Then in 2006 came a breakthrough with the debut of the 16-nation World Baseball Classic, which featured legitimate professional stars. The platform was built, the mysterious Cubans finally got to play in the US and the fans came. The tournament averaged nearly 19,000 fans a game, and that included the empty seat, Australia-Italy type match-ups. The face paint was bright, the vibes were October-like and the games were compelling; Japan held off Cuba as they took the maiden crown. The WBC passed its first test with a flourish and moved boldly into the future.

Published: March 5, 2026, 10:00 am

Jennifer Shahade: ‘There’s a long and embedded history of abuse in chess’

The former US women’s champion changed her life and her sport when she made allegations against a grandmaster. Now she’s turned her hand to writing and poker

On 15 February 2023, Jennifer Shahade took a deep breath and wrote “Time’s up” above a long message about allegations of sexual abuse in the cloistered world of professional chess. Shahade knew her words would have an impact but she didn’t expect the social media post to go viral and change her life.

A two-time US women’s chess champion, Shahade chose her words carefully as she made serious allegations against Alejandro Ramirez, a then 34-year-old grandmaster from Costa Rica who was based in America and coached the St Louis University chess team: “Currently there are multiple investigations [into] Alejandro Ramirez and sexual misconduct, including a series of alleged incidents involving a minor. I was assaulted by him twice, nine and 10 years ago. I’d moved on until the past couple of years when multiple women, independent of each other, and with no knowledge of my own experience, approached me with their own stories of alleged abuse. These accounts were from much younger alleged victims.”

Published: March 5, 2026, 12:00 pm

Aston Martin reveal fears over nerve damage will prevent F1 team from finishing Australian GP

• Vibration from Honda engine causing issue with drivers’ fingers

• Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will be unable to complete race

Aston Martin have admitted that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will not be able to complete even half the race at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this weekend for fear of suffering permanent nerve damage because of a vibration problem with their car.

The team principal Adrian Newey, who also designed the team’s new car, revealed on Thursday in the Melbourne paddock that both drivers were suffering such severe vibration through the steering wheel that they would only be able to complete 25 and 15 laps respectively.

Published: March 5, 2026, 2:24 am

Seven countries to boycott Paralympics ceremony over flag-flying Russians

• No ParalympicsGB athletes will be present in Verona

• IPC say Russian presence ‘determined by members’

Seven countries and the British government will boycott the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in protest at the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine would not be sending athletes or officials to the ceremony on Friday night.

Published: March 5, 2026, 4:49 pm

‘Only one team tried to play’: Hürzeler hits out at Arsenal after win at Brighton

• ‘They are doing their own rules, no matter how they play’

• Arsenal moved seven points clear at top with 1-0 victory

Fabian Hürzeler accused Arsenal of playing by their own rules in a void left by weak Premier League refereeing in a furious broadside at their approach. The Brighton manager boiled over after his team lost 1-0 at home to them on Wednesday night, Bukayo Saka’s early goal moving Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the table.

Hürzeler had called out Mikel Arteta for Arsenal’s time-wasting beforehand and he did not hold back after witnessing a game in which he said there was “only one team who tried to play football”. He raged about how the Arsenal goalkeeper, David Raya, went down injured three times and insisted the authorities had to have stronger rules to help referees or the future of the game would be undermined.

Published: March 4, 2026, 11:52 pm

Football’s converging moral panics hold up a mirror to our fractured world | Jonathan Liew

From grappling at corners to VAR, the endless list of complaints reflects a wider sense of dislocation from ‘the product’

A terrible boredom stalks the land. Across the nation’s television studios and podcast armchairs, wearied men grizzle accursedly with forked tongues into branded microphones: entombed by a game they despise and yet are paid so generously to discuss. Out there in the wild digital beyond, the sickness festers still deeper. The game has gone, they type into a little white box. This is not the football I once loved, click send. The beautiful game is broken, pleads the Telegraph. They think it’s all over, and perhaps it always was.

Arne Slot is no longer enjoying himself, and presumably a good proportion of the Liverpool fans at Molineux on Tuesday night know exactly how he feels. John Terry is no longer enjoying himself. Yaya Touré is “disappointed”. Ruud Gullit is so disgusted he has decided to stop watching. Chris Sutton thinks Arsenal will be the ugliest winners in Premier League history. Mark Goldbridge is bored out of his mind, albeit nowhere near as bored as you would presumably need to be to watch a Mark Goldbridge livestream.

Published: March 5, 2026, 8:00 am

Ally Sentnor strike helps US top Canada, extending dominant defensive record

• Sentnor scored in the 55th minute, her seventh US goal

• Canada hasn’t kept a clean sheet since April 2025

• Both teams next play on 7 March

The US women’s national team notched a seventh consecutive clean sheet, narrowly beating rival Canada 1-0 in the second game of the SheBelieves Cup. Ally Sentnor notched her seventh international goal early in the second half, capitalizing on a corner kick to swing the result in the hosts’ favor.

The United States last gave up a goal on 23 October against Portugal, a dominant defensive stretch that’s now extended to 714 minutes. Canada are winless in their last six matchups against the USWNT, though their last win was the most consequential result of all: the 2021 Olympic semi-final.

Published: March 5, 2026, 2:00 am

Lewis Hamilton sets sights on racing in an African grand prix before retiring

• British former champion hits out at former colonial rulers

• ‘I’m hoping countries unite and take Africa back’

Lewis Hamilton has called for a movement to “take Africa back”, claiming the continent is being “controlled” by European powers. On the eve of the new Formula One season in Melbourne, the seven-time champion outlined his ambition to compete in a grand prix on African soil.

But the 41-year-old, F1’s first black race driver, did not stop there. He suggested former colonial rulers still exerted undue power in the region and called for action to reverse that influence. “I’ve got roots from a few different places there, like Togo and Benin,” he said. “I’m really proud of that part of the world.

Published: March 5, 2026, 1:37 pm

From a 19-time world champ to Monster Mike: US athletes to watch at the 2026 Winter Paralympics

The Americans finished fifth in the medal table in 2022. A strong team will be looking to improve that record in Italy in the coming days

The first-time Paralympian only turned 19 at the start of March, but she has been in the news for her skiing prowess since she was a second-grader. She’s also going to Italy on a roll, having reached the podium in two World Cup downhill races in early February. In the 2024-25 season, she had two World Cup podium finishes in giant slalom, and she took bronze in giant slalom and fifth in slalom at the world championships, where the other three events were canceled. Though she was born without her lower right arm, she was still an honorable mention All-State softball player in Colorado.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:00 am

Championship playoffs will expand to six teams after approval from EFL clubs

• Two more teams in playoffs from next season

• Plan meant to increase number of competitive games

The Championship playoffs will expand to six teams from next season after the change was approved by EFL clubs on Thursday. The Guardian revealed last month that a proposal to add a quarter-final stage to the playoffs had been recommended by the EFL board, and the clubs gave their assent in a vote at an extraordinary general meeting held at the Belfry.

The format will add an eliminator round to the Championship playoffs in a set-up similar to that used by the National League. The fifth-placed team will play eighth and sixth will play seventh, at the higher-ranked club’s ground, in a one-off tie to determine progression to the two-leg playoff semi-finals, against the clubs that finished third and fourth.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:10 am

Fabian Hürzeler and Brighton win one battle but lose the one that matters

When Fabian Hürzeler grumbled about Arsenal’s penchant for time-wasting ahead of their visit to the Amex Stadium, he knew exactly what levers he was pulling. While he may have been speaking to the ladies and gentlemen of the press, Brighton’s head coach was playing to a different gallery: his own team’s fans and the match officials tasked with maintaining order. By highlighting the ticking clock before a ball had even been kicked, Hürzeler effectively primed the Amex faithful to jeer and barrack every slow corner or carefully choreographed shoulder injury. More importantly, the German placed the referee in an extremely tricky position: ignore any stalling and appear weak, or brandish an early yellow and validate Hürzeler’s gamesmanship. Between his presser and kick-off, much of the discourse revolved around whether or not Arsenal are masters of the “strategic pause”, with some Social Media Disgrace users even going so far as to produce a Premier League table of time-wasting. True to form, Arsenal couldn’t even win that but it didn’t matter. Irritating their head coach was half the battle for Hürzeler, as an agitated Mikel Arteta is prone to touchline histrionics that often bleed on to the pitch and affect his players as the pressure mounts.

Published: March 5, 2026, 3:52 pm

QPR’s Jonathan Varane: ‘Football is a big part of my life, but it’s not everything’

Midfielder tapped into history while frustrated by injury but hopes to help a young side rediscover promising form

Jonathan Varane’s 2026 didn’t get off to the best start. Four days into the new year, the QPR midfielder sprained a knee during a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and was a frustrated spectator for more than a month.

Varane had been desperate to play his part, with QPR hoping to push for the playoffs, but the 24-year-old took the opportunity to indulge in two of his other passions: reading and history. That included a trip with his teammate Paul Nardi to the British Museum, where the ancient Egyptian artefacts proved of particular fascination.

Published: March 5, 2026, 8:00 am

When Chelsea beat Wrexham in the FA Cup – after 300 minutes of football

The teams meet again on Saturday and in 1982 it took three matches in nine days to find a winner

By That 1980s Sports Blog

In some ways, history is repeating itself. In 1982, Chelsea and Wrexham met in the FA Cup after they had beaten Hull and Nottingham Forest respectively in previous rounds. The same has happened in 2026; but this is where the similarities end.

When the clubs met 44 years ago they were in the second tier and had huge debts. With Chelsea reportedly £1.6m in the red, the future of Stamford Bridge was in doubt as property developers hovered. Relegation-threatened Wrexham spent most of the 1980s merely trying to survive.

Published: March 5, 2026, 2:00 pm

‘The steroids made me feel alone’: Southampton’s Amy Goddard on being diagnosed with Bell’s palsy

Centre-back opens up on the ‘petrifying’ time in 2021 when the left side of her face suddenly dropped as she wants to help others who are affected

One day, in February 2021, Amy Goddard woke up and went for a run. On her return home she took a shower and then looked in the mirror before brushing her teeth. That is when she realised the left side of her face had dropped.

Goddard, who was playing for Crystal Palace semi-professionally in the Championship at the time, went to the hospital and was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. The illness, which she had not heard of until her diagnosis, causes sudden and typically temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face. The condition affects one in 70 people in their lifetime in the UK.

Goddard, who is now at WSL 2 side Southampton, says it was a “petrifying” time for her and that it not only affected her physically and mentally but also her football career.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:33 am

India’s remarkable Women's Asian Cup chance boosted by cricket team across town | Mrinal Asija

Blue Tigresses have overcome off-field chaos and crises to make this tournament and can look to their women’s cricketers for hope

The Indian women’s football team’s quest for history got off to a bittersweet start in Perth on Wednesday. The players had put aside the off-field turbulence they faced in the lead-up to put up a strong fight on the field, only to concede an injury time goal and go down 1-2 to Vietnam.

Despite the result, the game was significant as a marker of how far the Blue Tigresses had come and where they could go, but also for the atmosphere they were greeted with at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.

Published: March 5, 2026, 2:00 pm

Anderson saves draw for Nottingham Forest as Manchester City slip back

“Vamos, vamos!” screamed Rodri in his native Spanish following a 62nd-minute header that seemed to grab a precious victory for Manchester City. But the title chasers’ 2-1 lead lasted only 14 minutes as Phil Foden allowed Elliot Anderson to run off him and the Nottingham Forest midfielder, from range, curled a sublime equaliser beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma that silenced City’s faithful.

Before Anderson’s leveller Erling Haaland was denied a penalty by the referee, Darren England, and the video assistant referee, for a coming together with Matz Sels, the visiting No 1. Bernardo Silva did not agree. “I just watched it,” City’s captain said afterwards. “It’s a penalty. We’re used to it this season, all the 50-50s have gone against us.”

Published: March 4, 2026, 9:49 pm

João Pedro hat-trick fires Chelsea to emphatic comeback win at Aston Villa

As these teams emerged for kick-off, the Holte End displayed a tifo proudly flaunting Aston Villa’s deck of cards, chiefly an ace of clubs. By the end, however, their upper hand in the race for the Champions League felt rather hollow, if not diminished. Chelsea had dismantled Unai Emery’s side to move within three points of Villa, João Pedro scoring a hat-trick to take his tally to 17 goals for the season.

The Brazil striker was in the mood for a fourth and tried his luck with an audacious overhead kick, while Emiliano Martínez prevented Alejandro Garnacho from adding a bruising fifth late on. For Villa and their grand aspirations, it was a sobering evening, even if Manchester United’s late defeat by Newcastle surely softened the blow.

Published: March 4, 2026, 9:50 pm

England fall just short against India in epic T20 World Cup semi-final – live reaction

T20 World Cup updates from Mumbai; 1.30pm GMT start
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England’s first task is to stop Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson getting off to a flyer. As Finn Allen showed yesterday, an opener can win a semi-final all by himself.

Will Jacks belts out God Save The King like a peroxide version of a Chelsea pensioner. As soon as it finishes, Harry Brook pops a piece of chewing gum into his mouth. The young chaperones look on with mild curiosity from under their yellow bucket hats.

Published: March 5, 2026, 5:28 pm

Aston Martin reveal risk of 'permanent nerve damage' before Australian Grand Prix – video

The Aston Martin team principal, Adrian Newey, says Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will not be able to complete even half the race Australian Grand Prix on Sunday because of vibrations in the car and the resulting risk of permanent nerve damage.

Newey, who designed the team’s new Formula One car, said before the season-opening race in Melbourne on Sunday that both drivers were suffering such severe vibrations through the steering wheel that they would only be able to complete 25 and 15 laps respectively.

'That vibration into the chassis is causing a few reliability problems, mirrors falling off, tail lights falling off, all that sort of thing, which we are having to address,' he said. 'But the much more significant problem with that, is that vibration is transmitted ultimately into the driver’s fingers. Fernando is of the feeling that he can’t do more than 25 laps consecutively before he will risk permanent nerve damage into his hands.'

• Aston Martin reveal fears over nerve damage will prevent F1 team from finishing Australian GP

Published: March 5, 2026, 12:59 pm

Australia secure second Group A win over Iran – as it happened

Alanna Kennedy scores brace with Mary Fowler and Amy Sayer also on scoresheet at sodden Gold Coast Stadium

It’s obviously going to case a shadow over tonight’s match so, as a reminder, The Guardian is bringing you live updates on the crisis in the Middle East.

“These women are prisoners,” says Cyrus Jones, a human rights activist who will be attending the match. “Iranian security is up on their floor [of the hotel] at night. They can’t leave their rooms. They can’t use the public bathrooms. They’re monitored when they go for breakfast, when they get on the bus. They’re monitored in a way no other players from other teams are.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:26 am

Matildas sweep aside Iran in dominant Women’s Asian Cup showing

• Australia defeat Iran 4-0 in one-sided Group A match

• Mary Fowler starts and scores while Alanna Kennedy nets brace

The Matildas are two wins from two in their home Asian Cup after a straightforward 4-0 defeat of Iran in their second group-stage game on a humid, rainy night on the Gold Coast.

Midfielder Amy Sayer, in her first tournament start, opened the scoring in the 8th minute after a curling cross spiralled over Iran goalkeeper Maryam Yektaei’s outstretched arms.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:20 am

'I'll never be that kind of manager': Brighton's Hürzeler hits out at Arteta and Arsenal – video

The Brighton manager, Fabian Hürzeler, accused Arsenal of playing by their own rules in a void left by weak Premier League refereeing after the Gunners' 1-0 win at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday.

Bukayo Saka’s early goal moved Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the table, with Manchester City drawing 2-2 at home against Nottingham Forest.

'I think there was only one team who tried to play football today,' said Hürzeler. 'If they win the Premier League, no one will ask how ... [But] I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way.

'Of course, every team will manage and waste time but there has to be a limit, and the limit has to be set by the Premier League.'

• ‘Only one team tried to play’: Hürzeler hits out at Arsenal after win at Brighton

Published: March 5, 2026, 10:40 am

‘It’s a generous deal’: McIlroy’s surprise at Rahm not accepting DP World Tour offer

• Spaniard’s stance could complicate Ryder Cup place

• Luke Donald confirms he will captain Europe again

Dust was yet to settle on Luke Donald’s commitment to a third successive stint as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain when Rory McIlroy highlighted the elephant in the locker room.

McIlroy, in a sentiment shared by other European players, finds it hard to fathom why Jon Rahm has not reached agreement to make his participation at Adare Manor next September straightforward. Rahm’s Ryder Cup involvement sits in serious jeopardy amid a dispute with the DP World Tour. McIlroy calmly warned that the biennial contest matters more than any single individual.

Published: March 4, 2026, 10:37 pm

Lou Holtz, legendary college football coach and broadcaster, dies at age of 89

• Coach won national title with Notre Dame in 1988

• Holtz became a successful broadcaster in later years

Lou Holtz, one of the most revered coaches in the history of college football, has died at the age of 89. He had entered hospice care in January, shortly after his birthday.

A statement from his family said Holtz would be “remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service and an unwavering belief in the potential of others”.

Published: March 4, 2026, 9:51 pm

Chiefs reportedly trade All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie to Rams for first-round pick

• Kansas City gain 29th pick in this year’s draft

• Rams also have the 13th selection in 2026 draft

The Los Angeles Rams are acquiring All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in a blockbuster trade that includes the 29th overall pick of this year’s draft, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

The Chiefs reportedly would also receive the Rams’ fifth- and sixth-round selections in this year’s draft as well as a third-round pick in 2027.

Published: March 4, 2026, 5:40 pm

‘It’s not acceptable’: Will a small town be left $7.8m on the hook for the World Cup?

At a meeting of the board that governs the World Cup stadium in Foxborough, promises were made if not accepted

Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Foxborough, Massachusetts, Select Board is still minutes from starting, but a local resident can’t keep himself from approaching the bench. He has an urgent question for the five members, who in effect serve as the town’s primary governing body. His tone isn’t one of anger, more of concern.

“Do you think we’re going to have the World Cup here?”

Published: March 4, 2026, 12:59 pm