Kevin Durant, a Houston Rockets player, was seen working out with Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero before the NBA season. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins criticized Durant for training with a player from another team instead of practicing with his own Rockets teammates.
Key Facts
Kevin Durant and Paolo Banchero appeared in a video working out together during the offseason.
The workout included dribble moves, driving to the basket, and jump shots.
Kendrick Perkins said Durant should focus on training with Rockets teammates like Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun.
The Rockets finished last season with a 52-30 record and were fifth in the Western Conference.
Durant had injury issues during the playoffs, where the Lakers beat the Rockets in the first round.
There have been rumors about Durant using a secret social media account to criticize Rockets teammates and coach.
Durant joined the Rockets in a large, seven-team trade last July.
The Western Conference is very competitive, with teams like the Thunder, Spurs, and Timberwolves also strong.
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Spain’s player Gavi said he does not think Argentina’s Leandro Paredes should be suspended for his actions after the World Cup final match, where a fight broke out on the field. FIFA is investigating the incident, and some players and coaches might face suspensions or fines.
Key Facts
The fight happened after Spain won the World Cup final 1-0 against Argentina.
Leandro Paredes appeared to push Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat during the confrontation.
Gavi, a Spain player, tried to stop the fight but was pushed to the ground by another Argentine player, Thiago Almada.
Initially, it was reported that Paredes was sent off the field, but FIFA confirmed no immediate disciplinary action was taken then.
FIFA has started a formal investigation to decide if anyone involved should be suspended or fined.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez was sent off during the final after receiving two yellow cards.
Gavi said that while the fight shows a bad image for children, some physical and aggressive behavior is part of football.
The Argentine Football Association may also be fined because of the incident.
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In an eastern India football tournament, winners receive khassi goats as prizes instead of typical trophies. This tradition supports local tribal customs and helps young players gain chances to become professional athletes.
Key Facts
The football tournament takes place in eastern India.
Winners are awarded khassi goats instead of trophies.
Khassi goats are a traditional prize linked to local tribal customs.
The tournament helps keep tribal traditions alive.
Many young players use the event as a way to move toward professional football careers.
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Southampton coach Tonda Eckert has been charged by the English Football Association (FA) for spying on training sessions of rival teams during the 2025-26 season. Southampton was punished by being kicked out of the Championship playoffs and losing points for the next season due to this misconduct.
Key Facts
Southampton admitted to spying on training sessions of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, and Oxford during the 2025-26 season.
The spying led to Southampton being removed from the Championship playoff final and receiving a four-point deduction for the 2026-27 season.
Middlesbrough replaced Southampton in the final but lost to Hull.
The financial loss for Southampton was large because promotion to the Premier League is worth about 200 million pounds ($267 million).
An independent commission said the spying was planned and approved by Eckert and senior staff.
The FA charged Eckert with three breaches of misconduct rules related to the spying.
Southampton said they will cooperate with the FA and continue to support Eckert and his staff.
Eckert admitted responsibility for the spying and has until next Tuesday to respond to the charges.
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Emily Scarratt, England's top points-scorer in rugby, has joined the England women's national rugby team (the Red Roses) coaching staff permanently. She previously coached the team temporarily during the 2026 Women's Six Nations and will now leave her coaching role at Loughborough Lightning to focus on England.
Key Facts
Emily Scarratt played for England in five Rugby World Cups.
She scored more points than any English rugby player, male or female.
Scarratt was interim attack and backs coach for England during the 2026 Women's Six Nations.
England won their eighth consecutive Women's Six Nations title in May 2026.
She has left Loughborough Lightning after eight years as a player and coach there.
She retired from playing after helping England win the Rugby World Cup in 2025.
Scarratt helped the England attack score 27 more points in the 2026 Six Nations compared to 2025.
Coach John Mitchell praised her impact on the team’s coaching environment.
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Phil Foden, a 26-year-old midfielder, has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester City that will keep him at the club until 2030. Foden has played his entire senior career at City, winning multiple titles, and expressed excitement about working again with the new head coach, Enzo Maresca.
Key Facts
Phil Foden’s previous contract was set to expire next summer, but he extended it to last until 2030.
Foden debuted for Manchester City at age 17 under coach Pep Guardiola.
He has played 369 games for City and won six Premier League titles, one Champions League, and two FA Cups.
Last season, Foden scored seven goals and provided five assists in 33 league matches.
Foden was left out of England’s World Cup squad in May after an inconsistent season.
New head coach Enzo Maresca previously worked as an assistant during City’s treble-winning 2022-23 season.
Foden described signing the new deal as very important and said he looks forward to working with Maresca again.
His role at Manchester City has changed recently, sometimes playing deeper, which affected his goal and assist numbers.
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Italy’s football federation has spoken with coach Pep Guardiola about potentially becoming the head coach of the Italian national team. They are willing to make special financial arrangements for him, but no decision has been made yet.
Key Facts
Italy’s football federation leader, Giovanni Malago, confirmed talks with Pep Guardiola for the national team coach job.
The federation said they could increase the salary budget specifically if Guardiola is hired.
Malago called this a special exception and said the talks were important to keep dialogue open.
Guardiola used to play in Italy for Brescia and AS Roma between 2001 and 2003.
Italy’s national team failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row in March.
Italy has won the World Cup four times in its history.
Guardiola left Manchester City after the last season, where he won many titles including six league championships and the Champions League.
Other candidates for the coaching job include Andrea Pirlo and Roberto Mancini, who previously coached Italy to a Euro 2020 win.
Italy’s next national team match is against Belgium on September 25 in the Nations League.
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Liverpool Football Club and Merseyside Police have taken action against illegal ticket selling by seizing over £1.2 million in assets and issuing more than 400 lifetime bans. The club also canceled thousands of suspicious ticket accounts and worked to ensure genuine fans could buy tickets fairly.
Key Facts
Liverpool and Merseyside Police seized over £1.2 million connected to illegal ticket sales.
Liverpool issued 432 lifetime bans and 115 indefinite suspensions for ticket touting.
Last season, Liverpool reviewed nearly 700,000 ticket registrations.
About 67,663 suspected fake accounts were blocked or canceled; 121,379 are under investigation.
Around 3,847 suspicious tickets were canceled and resold to genuine fans.
Matchday checks denied entry to about 300 suspicious accounts per home game.
The seized money was shared between Merseyside Police and the UK Home Office.
Liverpool shut down 145,000 ticket accounts over the previous two years to fight illegal ticket sales.
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Boxer Tyson Fury will fight Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, in front of a small crowd of 1,500 people. Fury says he chose this event over a bigger, more profitable fight and is focused on his match, not on other fighters or championships.
Key Facts
Tyson Fury is a former heavyweight world champion with 35 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw.
Fury’s fight against Mariusz Wach will take place in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday.
Only 1,500 fans will attend the fight, which Fury chose over a more profitable event elsewhere.
The fight will not be shown live on TV but featured in a Netflix documentary about Fury’s family.
Fury plans to have a big fight later this year against Anthony Joshua if Joshua wins his next match.
Wach has lost 7 of his last 10 fights but Fury says Wach is still a tough opponent.
Fury criticizes current heavyweight champions, saying they have not fought strong opponents like he has.
Ticket profits from the fight will go to a local charity supporting children and students with disabilities.
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Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for misconduct related to spying on other football teams. This spying led to Southampton being removed from the Championship play-offs last May. Eckert and the club are cooperating with the investigation as Eckert prepares to respond to the charges.
Key Facts
Southampton spied on three clubs during the Championship season, which caused their removal from the play-offs.
The spying involved watching training sessions of Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough.
The FA charged Eckert with three breaches of rule E3.1 for misconduct between December 2025 and May 2026.
An independent commission said the spying was planned and approved by Eckert.
Middlesbrough was reinstated to the play-off final after Southampton’s expulsion.
Eckert has apologized and accepted responsibility for his actions.
Southampton’s owner said he will not fire Eckert despite the incident.
The club is focused on preparing for the next season and aims to return to the Premier League.
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Pep Guardiola has had talks with the Italian Football Federation about becoming the coach of Italy's national soccer team. Italy has been looking for a new coach since Gennaro Gattuso resigned after the team failed to qualify for the World Cup.
Key Facts
Pep Guardiola left Manchester City in the summer after 10 years and many wins.
Italy has been without a head coach since April, after Gennaro Gattuso resigned.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has discussed making financial exceptions to hire Guardiola.
Other candidates for the job include Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo.
Italy has mostly had Italian coaches, with very few exceptions in their history.
Guardiola speaks fluent Italian and played in Italy’s Serie A from 2001 to 2003.
Hiring Guardiola would be his first coaching job in Italy.
Guardiola said he was very tired after leaving Manchester City in May.
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The article reviews memorable matches from the World Cup 2026, highlighting dramatic games, surprising results, and standout performances. It also mentions players who made a strong impact during the tournament.
Key Facts
Paraguay vs. Germany ended 1-1 and was decided by a dramatic penalty shootout with Germany losing unexpectedly.
Algeria and Austria played an unusual 3-3 match that had surprising late events despite expectations of a dull draw.
Mexico lost 2-3 to England in a highly tense game at the Azteca stadium, considered a tournament highlight for England.
France lost 4-6 to England in a high-scoring, unusual game.
Argentina made a late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2, with Lionel Messi playing a key role.
The article mentions notable performances by players including Rodri and Kylian Mbappé, who were standout players in the tournament.
Cape Verde drew 2-2 with Uruguay, showing strong spirit and discipline.
Several games had unexpected drama, controversies, and exciting moments that defined the World Cup experience.
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Arsenal has signed Spanish goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez for free after she left Real Madrid. She will join Arsenal’s Women's Super League team and compete with other goalkeepers for playing time.
Key Facts
Misa Rodriguez is 27 years old and joins Arsenal on a free transfer.
She previously played six years at Real Madrid, making 215 appearances and serving as captain.
Rodriguez has played 34 times for the Spain national team and was part of the 2023 Women's World Cup-winning squad.
At Arsenal, she will wear the number 16 shirt.
She will compete for game time with teammates Daphne van Domselaar and Anneke Borbe, who both had injury issues last season.
Arsenal finished second in the Women’s Super League last season and reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League.
Arsenal has signed several players this summer, including Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Selina Cerci, Geraldine Reuteler, and Lisa Baum.
Coach Renee Slegers is preparing the squad for the 2026-27 Women’s Super League season.
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Newcastle United was bought by a Saudi-led group in 2021 with big goals to become one of the best football clubs by 2030. The club has improved its performance, winning the EFL Cup in 2025 and qualifying for the Champions League twice, but faces challenges like financial rules and needs better infrastructure to grow further.
Key Facts
Newcastle United was taken over by a Saudi-led consortium in October 2021.
The club won the EFL Cup in 2025, ending a 70-year wait for a major trophy.
Newcastle qualified for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025.
New financial rules in football limit how clubs can spend and earn money.
Newcastle's income rose from £140 million in 2021 to £335.3 million in 2025 but still lags behind top clubs like Chelsea.
Plans for a new training ground near Newcastle Airport are expected to be announced soon.
Decisions about expanding the stadium or building a new one are still pending to help boost club revenue.
Newcastle had a disappointing 12th-place finish last season and faced penalties for breaching UEFA financial rules, leading to a three-year settlement.
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Guillermo Ochoa, a famous Mexican goalkeeper, has retired after a 22-year career in professional football. He played for clubs in Mexico and Europe and represented Mexico in six World Cups, retiring after the 2022 tournament.
Key Facts
Ochoa announced his retirement at age 41, ending his 22-year career.
He played as goalkeeper in six World Cup tournaments, starting in three of them (2014, 2018, 2022).
Ochoa began his career with Club America in Mexico City in 2004.
He was the first Mexican goalkeeper to play in European leagues, joining Ajaccio in France in 2011.
Ochoa played for several European clubs, including Malaga, Granada, Standard Liege, and others.
He won a league title with Club America in 2005 and a Belgian Cup with Standard Liege.
Internationally, he helped Mexico win six CONCACAF Gold Cup titles and earned an Olympic bronze medal in 2020.
In his final match, he played briefly, then received an emotional farewell at Azteca Stadium.
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Chelsea football club signed England forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa in a British transfer deal reported to be worth 117 million pounds. Rogers, 23, has joined Chelsea with a contract until 2033 and is considered one of the Premier League's top attacking players.
Key Facts
Morgan Rogers transferred from Aston Villa to Chelsea for about 117 million pounds ($156.5 million).
This transfer is the highest British transfer fee paid, surpassing Elliot Anderson’s 116 million pounds move.
Chelsea’s previous record signing was Moises Caicedo for 115 million pounds in 2023.
Rogers is 23 years old and has played 85 Premier League games, scoring 21 goals for Aston Villa.
He was part of the England team that finished third at the recent World Cup.
Rogers signed a contract with Chelsea lasting until 2033.
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and will start their next season on August 24 against Fulham.
The new Chelsea manager, Xabi Alonso, has made Rogers his third major signing this off-season.
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Nearly 63 million people in the United States watched the FIFA World Cup final where Spain won 1-0 against Argentina in extra time. This set a new US viewership record and showed that soccer is becoming more popular in the country.
Key Facts
The final game was held in New Jersey and was scoreless until Spain scored in the 106th minute.
Fox’s English broadcast had 38.9 million viewers, while Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo and Peacock had 23.9 million viewers.
The combined US audience of 62.8 million far exceeded the 22.3 million viewers of the 2022 World Cup final.
Some knockout-stage matches had more viewers than major US sports championship games like the MLB World Series and NBA Finals.
The 2026 World Cup was cohosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, with favorable kick-off times for US viewers.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two top soccer stars, helped attract viewers.
The next World Cups in 2030 and 2034 will be hosted by other countries and may have less favorable times for US viewers.
Fox and Comcast paid around $485 million and $600 million, respectively, for broadcasting rights including this World Cup.
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The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, featuring over 3,000 athletes competing in 10 sports for 215 gold medals. The article highlights five top athletes to watch, including Scotland’s Josh Kerr, England’s Kadeena Cox, and South Africa’s Chad le Clos, focusing on their previous achievements and medal goals.
Key Facts
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will offer 215 gold medals across 10 sports.
More than 3,000 athletes are expected to compete.
Josh Kerr from Scotland recently set a new world record in the men’s mile race.
Kerr aims to win his first Commonwealth Games medal at home in the 2026 Games.
Kadeena Cox, an English para-cyclist and former Paralympic gold medalist, will compete in track cycling events.
Cox missed the last two Commonwealth Games due to injury but hopes to win a medal in Glasgow.
Chad le Clos from South Africa is one medal away from being the most decorated male athlete in Commonwealth Games history.
Le Clos won seven medals during the 2014 Glasgow Games and has a total of 18 Commonwealth Games medals.
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Caoimhin Agyarko, a boxer from Belfast, will fight for the IBF light-middleweight world title against Josh Kelly in Saudi Arabia. Agyarko aims to be the first black Irish world boxing champion and hopes to inspire future fighters from diverse backgrounds.
Key Facts
Caoimhin Agyarko has won all 18 of his professional boxing matches so far.
He will fight Josh Kelly, the IBF light-middleweight champion, on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s return fight in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Agyarko wants to become Ireland’s first black world boxing champion.
He was born in London to an Irish mother and Ghanaian father but grew up in west Belfast.
Agyarko began boxing at age seven and trained at the Holy Trinity club in Belfast.
In 2017, Agyarko survived a serious stabbing attack in Belfast that required emergency surgery.
His boxing career faced setbacks from injury and fight cancellations but he has continued to train and compete.
He aims to inspire young people from different backgrounds through his achievements in boxing.
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Newcastle United is close to signing Irish forward Leanne Kiernan from Liverpool. Kiernan, who has scored 23 goals for Liverpool, spent part of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and still has over a year left on her Liverpool contract.
Key Facts
Leanne Kiernan is 27 years old and plays as a forward.
She has been with Liverpool for five years and signed a contract extension until 2025.
Kiernan scored 23 goals in 76 games for Liverpool, including 14 goals in the 2021-22 season when Liverpool won the WSL 2 title.
She was loaned to Nottingham Forest for the second half of last season.
Newcastle United plays in the second tier of women's football and would likely pay a transfer fee for Kiernan.
Kiernan has made 38 appearances for the Republic of Ireland national team since 2017.
Liverpool recently signed German forward Vivien Endemann to strengthen their attack.
Newcastle has added six new players this summer as they prepare to compete for the WSL 2 title.
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