A panel of journalists offers their top picks for the World Cup's most dramatic matches, standout players, and memorable goals, alongside personal highlights and assessments of the host nations, reflecting on the tournament's unique moments.
The 2026 World Cup in the USA is a tournament of stark contrasts, from the volume of matches and the quality of stadiums to the varying levels of local engagement with football amidst other popular sports. Despite logistical challenges and mixed public interest, the event showcases the scale and cultural diversity of the host nation.
The Premier League season concludes with Brighton, Liverpool, and Sunderland vying for European spots. Managerial futures are uncertain for Marco Silva and potentially Pep Guardiola, while several players like Bernardo Silva and Mohamed Salah prepare for farewells.
⚽ All the latest news and previews going into a big weekend⚽ Premier League preview | Fixtures | Tables | And mail YaraEuropa Conference League: Crystal Palace followed Arsenal and Aston Villa to become the third English team to make a men’s European final this season. Here is Ed Aarons’ verdict from Selhurst Park.There were ecstatic celebrations as Palace’s players completed a lap of honour in front of their adoring supporters who are still having to pinch themselves over the events of the past 12 months. Glasner may be set to leave after what will be the 60th game of a marathon season but whatever happens after this, he will always have a special place in the club’s history. One of the loudest cheers of the night came when the stadium announcer confirmed that Nottingham Forest – who controversially replaced Palace in the Europa League – had been thrashed 4-0 by Aston Villa in their semi-final.The captain Dean Henderson, admitted that the sense of injustice has been driving the FA Cup winners. “It’s pretty incredible really to even get into a European competition with Crystal Palace, let alone reach the final,” he said. “We’ve got to deliver something special. We’ve got to get back what we deserve.”We didn’t want to leave these games with any regrets, and I think we’ve done ourselves massive justice. We’ve had low moments. It’s a demanding club to play for but what we’ve done in the last few years is exceptional. The margins are so slim. If we lost, we’re the nearly men.When we go to Istanbul, we need to make sure we’re not the nearly men. I’m normally quite calm before games, but today I was nervous. Tonight was up with one of the best performances I’ve seen from a Villa team for a long time. Continue reading...
⚽ Conference League semi-final updates, 8pm BST kick-off⚽ Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa – live | Scores | Mail TahaHere’s Ed Aarons’ excellent piece on Shakhtar’s journey.Shakhtar reached the last four of the Europa League in 2016 and 2020 before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 changed everything. Most of the club’s foreign players departed after special Fifa regulations allowed them to leave for free. Shakhtar failed with a claim for up to €50m in compensation and were forced to start from scratch. Continue reading...
