Messi and Inter Miami were wallpaper for Trump’s whims in their White House visit

The US president welcomed the 2025 MLS Cup champions in a ceremony beset by tangents and awkward asides

Nine minutes and 43 seconds. As Inter Miami’s players stood behind the dais at the East Room in the White House with club owner Jorge Mas stood to the left and Lionel Messi to the right; with MLS commissioner Don Garber sat alongside Fifa World Cup 2026 task force executive director Andrew Giuliani in an audience replete with celebrities and sports stars, it took nine minutes and 43 seconds for US president Donald Trump to talk about why any of them were there.

Inter Miami won the 2025 MLS Cup; a solid win in an exciting final that merited this traditional visit for champions of US pro sports leagues. But in those minutes and seconds before it was acknowledged, Trump did as he did with Juventus players in an Oval Office appearance during last summer’s Club World Cup: he made sports figures the wallpaper for his political and cultural aims. Trump provided an update of sorts on his administration’s sudden and ongoing war against Iran, alluded to a potential conflict with Cuba and offered his own glowing assessment on the supposedly booming US economy. All the while, Luis Suárez, Messi and every other Miami player gazed blankly from behind him.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:16 pm

FA Cup fifth round: things to look out for this weekend

Garnacho gets his chance to stake a claim, a big day for Port Vale and more scheduling concerns for Guardiola

Who would have thought approaching mid-March Wolves would be the Midlands team – at least in the Premier League – with the most to cheer? Aston Villa, while fourth and still capable of securing a place in the Champions League, are wobbling. Nottingham Forest are fighting relegation. In the Championship, Coventry are at the summit but West Brom and Leicester are in danger of dropping into League One. Wolves and third-tier Mansfield are the only Midlands sides remaining in the FA Cup and, while the latter host Arsenal, the former may quietly fancy their chances when Liverpool visit Molineux for the second time in four days. Rob Edwards’s side triumphed on Tuesday and, while it got lost amid the stoppage-time drama, he made several changes with Friday’s Cup tie in mind. “Does it have to be one or the other?” Edwards said. “No, so we are going to try and win both. It is going to be a really exciting night.” Ben Fisher

Wolves v Liverpool, Friday 8pm (all kick-offs GMT)

Mansfield v Arsenal, Saturday 12.15pm

Wrexham v Chelsea, Saturday 5.45pm

Newcastle v Manchester City, Saturday 8pm

Published: March 6, 2026, 12:01 am

Bills reportedly give Josh Allen much-needed weapon with trade for DJ Moore

• Bears to receive second-rounder for Moore and a fifth

• Moore recorded career-low totals last year with Bears

The Buffalo Bills are acquiring wide receiver DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday.

The Bears will reportedly receive a 2026 second-round draft pick in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round selection in the deal, which cannot be processed until the new league year begins on 11 March.

Published: March 5, 2026, 5:38 pm

‘That person has gone’: Lewis Hamilton ditches despair for feelgood Ferrari reboot

Seven-time world champion admits he ‘lost sight of who I was’ but has optimism as new campaign begins on Sunday

In the dying embers of the 2025 Formula One season there was a period when Lewis Hamilton, one of the greatest drivers of all time, seemed cut from an almost unrecognisable cloth. The confidence, humour and calm assurance in his own abilities had been stripped away, replaced by an almost despairing bewilderment.

It was so alien to his usual character that many considered it a wonder that he was managing to drag himself on to see the year out. In the buildup to this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Hamilton was typically forthright in acknowledging it had been something of a psychological break.

Published: March 5, 2026, 6:00 pm

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

‘I believe more’: Tudor insists Spurs going in right direction despite third loss

• Tottenham beaten 3-1 by Palace as Van de Ven sent off

• Interim manager admits the situation is ‘very difficult’

Igor Tudor insisted that the “boat is going in the direction I want to go” despite a shambolic 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, deepening Tottenham’s relegation fears.

Although the atmosphere was toxic on another grim night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tudor is confident that he can steer his new side to safety. Tottenham have lost each of their three games under their interim manager and are a point above the bottom three after Micky van de Ven’s red card kickstarted an implosion against Palace.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:35 pm

Seven countries to boycott Paralympics ceremony over flag-flying Russians

• No ParalympicsGB athletes will be present in Verona

• IPC says 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

USL emails players about union resignation procedures as strike looms

• Email includes ‘FAQ’ on crossing picket line

• Active player calls letter ‘a bunch of bullshit’

• USL declines to comment

On Wednesday night, the United Soccer League (USL) emailed every player contracted in the second-division Championship with information about the procedures for crossing a potential picket line and resigning their membership in the USL Players’ Association, multiple sources have confirmed to the Guardian.

The USL, which runs the second-division Championship and the third-division League One as its professional US men’s leagues, has been locked in labor talks with Championship players for more than a year, with tensions recently spilling into the public. The previous agreement between the league and the USL Players Association (USLPA) expired on 31 December 2025.

Published: March 5, 2026, 9:24 pm

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

ITV weighing up whether to show adverts during 2026 World Cup drinks breaks

• All World Cup matches to break after 22 minutes of each half

• Adverts can be either normal breaks or split-screen version

ITV is in talks with its commercial partners about showing adverts during the mid-half drinks stoppages that will take place in every match at this summer’s World Cup.

Global broadcasters have been briefed on Fifa’s stipulations for the three-minute hydration breaks, which will take place after 22 minutes of each half irrespective of the temperature.

Published: March 5, 2026, 8:06 pm

Saka responds to criticism of Arsenal by insisting ‘we don’t listen to that stuff’

• Forward says all that matters is they keep winning

• Saka unconcerned by lower goals and assist tally

Bukayo Saka says he is untroubled by the rising tide of criticism against Arsenal and wants to do one thing and one thing alone – win. The winger marked his 300th appearance for the club with the only goal in Wednesday’s 1-0 victory at Brighton, which moved Arsenal seven points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. City have a game in hand.

It was an emotional night at the Amex Stadium. Fabian Hürzeler had complained about Arsenal’s timewasting beforehand, the Brighton manager raged about it during the match – as did the home crowd – and he signed off with another blast, saying Arsenal had again taken advantage of the inability of referees to combat delaying tactics.

Published: March 5, 2026, 10:30 pm

Women’s Africa Cup of Nations postponed just 12 days before the start

• Caf reschedules tournament after weeks of speculation

• Decision due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has confirmed the postponement of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations to July and August, just 12 days before the tournament was due to start.

The decision ends weeks of speculation as to whether it would go ahead as scheduled this month but leaves teams without games to play during this international break.

Published: March 5, 2026, 10:27 pm

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

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

‘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

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

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

• Any thoughts? Email Tanya

4th over: India 14-0 (Smriti Mandhana 4, Shafali Verma 7) I’ve spotted a couple of people on Healy hill, sitting like white ducks on a green bank. A good battle building between Verma and Hamilton. Perry again looks more traction engine than Ferrari in the field.

3rd over: India 8-0 (Smriti Mandhana 2, Shafali Verma 4) There aren’t huge numbers in at the WACA, unless they’re camera shy. Perhaps there will be an after-work influx. Brown has the ball swinging, Verma doesn’t look entirely secure.

Published: March 6, 2026, 8:14 am

Chess: Gukesh bottom in Prague as world champion, 19, struggles for form

The youngest ever global title holder has had a hard time this year, but hopes for better in May, when he meets Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess at Oslo, and in the autumn, when he defends his crown

India’s Gukesh Dommaraju, at 19 the youngest ever world champion, has had a hard time this year. The teenager has struggled at Wijk aan Zee, where he totalled a modest 50%, and then this week in Prague, where he was last after eight of the nine rounds, scoring just 2.5/8, without winning a single game.

With just Friday’s final round to be played, Prague is currently led by Nodirbek Abdusattorov on 5.5/8, as the Uzbekistan No 1 continues his winning streak from the London Classic and Wijk aan Zee.

Published: March 6, 2026, 8:00 am

Aston Martin fear they may not be able to compete in Australian GP after practice disaster

• Team have two battery units with no replacements

• Alonso and Stroll completed only limited runs in practice

Aston Martin’s disastrous start to the new Formula One season grew even worse after free practice in Australia with the team principal, Adrian Newey, revealing there were now fears they would not be able to take part in qualifying or the race at the Albert Park circuit.

On Thursday Newey had hosted an extraordinary press conference when he had admitted that a severe vibration issue with the team’s Honda engine meant that their drivers were in danger of receiving permanent nerve damage through the steering wheel. Newey said Fernando Alonso believed he could manage only 25 laps in the car and his teammate Lance Stroll only 15, both well short of half the 58-lap race distance in Melbourne.

Published: March 6, 2026, 6:48 am

Australian government urged to protect Iran football players after national anthem backflip

• Footballers sing and salute anthem days after standing silent at Asian Cup

• Matildas victory leaves Iran on brink of tournament exit and return home

The Australian government has been urged to allow the Iran women’s national team players to remain in Australia after a state-aligned conservative commentator in Iran described them as “wartime traitors” and said they must be “dealt with more severely”.

The Iran players are currently competing in the Women’s Asian Cup, and lost 4-0 to the Matildas on the Gold Coast in their second group-stage match on Thursday.

Published: March 6, 2026, 5:23 am

Australian cyclist Michael Matthews breaks both wrists in horror training crash

• Jayco AlUla rider’s spring classics campaign ruined by injury

• 35-year-old returning to racing after break due to pulmonary embolism

Australian cycling ace Michael Matthews has broken both wrists in a training crash and been ruled out of racing for the forseeable future.

Matthews’ season on the World Tour started with victory in the Gran Premio de Castellon in Spain in late January – the 44th win of his decorated 17-year career.

Published: March 6, 2026, 12:17 am

Harry Brook reiterates support for Brendon McCullum after England’s World Cup exit

• McCullum is the head coach of England in all formats

• ‘He has changed England cricket for the best,’ says Brook

Harry Brook called on the England and Wales Cricket Board to back Brendon McCullum as all-format coach after England brought their winter to a close with defeat by India in a wild T20 World Cup semi-final that became, by a margin of 45 runs, the highest-scoring game in the competition’s history.

Though his position has been the subject of speculation since England’s sorry performance in the Ashes McCullum said after his side’s seven-run loss in Mumbai he would “love to carry on” and Brook that the New Zealander remained “125%” the right man for the job.

Published: March 5, 2026, 7:54 pm

England fall just short against India in epic T20 World Cup semi-final – as it happened

Jacob Bethell’s excellence was still not enough to carry England over the line as India set up a final showdown with New Zealand

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, 6:32 pm

Lowly Li snaps back at fans as Lowry endures another difficult day

• Chinese world No 71 swears at heckler after breaking club

• Lowry finishes with a bogey to compound weekend pain

“Snap another one!” You find brave people in hospitality areas at golf tournaments. The order came to Li Haotong, moments after his caddie had delivered a broken lob wedge to a bin at the back of the Bay Hill driving range. “Fuck off!” barked Li in immediate reply, with a gesticulation to match. What a scene.

Gaining entry to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the last minute, as a reserve, was not sufficient to boost Li’s mood. He finished round one horribly, with a double bogey rounding off a 77. Li’s tugged approach to the last (a bad workman etc) was plugged in a greenside bunker, from where he opted to putt. The ball crawled out of the sand, which Li booted in anger. The ranting continued all the way to and on the practice area, much to the amusement of assembled guests. Li’s poor bag man was at the opposite end of a verbal tirade. It was pitiful, embarrassing petulance for which Li should be reprimanded by the PGA Tour.

Published: March 5, 2026, 11:48 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

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

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

• Canada haven’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