South Africa and Ghana won their matches against Nigeria and Ivory Coast, earning spots in the Women’s World Cup intercontinental playoffs. Nigeria missed the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 1991 after losing to South Africa.
Key Facts
South Africa beat Nigeria 2-1, ending Nigeria’s long streak of World Cup appearances.
Ghana came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their match.
Both South Africa and Ghana will play in intercontinental playoffs in November and December.
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinalists—Cameroon, Malawi, Morocco, and Algeria—qualified directly for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Cameroon and Malawi will play in the WAFCON final scheduled for Sunday.
The intercontinental playoffs will feature teams from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America competing for final World Cup spots.
The playoffs have two phases: the first late in 2026 and the second in early 2027.
The final phase includes matches against teams from Europe, South America, and the CONCACAF region (North and Central America and the Caribbean).
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Filip Nowacki, an 18-year-old swimmer from Jersey, delayed opening his A-level exam results to focus on competing in the European Aquatics Championships. He won the gold medal in the 200m breaststroke, making history as Jersey's first Commonwealth Games medalist in 36 years and continuing his successful swimming career.
Key Facts
Filip Nowacki is a teenage swimmer from Jersey.
He won the men's 200m breaststroke gold at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris.
Nowacki also won gold in the 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games recently.
He delayed opening his A-level results to avoid distractions during the championships.
He took A-levels in Economics, Mathematics, and Physics.
Nowacki plans to attend Loughborough University and swim as part of their Swimming Performance Centre.
He has trained since age four and balanced intense training with his studies with help from Millfield School.
Nowacki is competing next in the 50m breaststroke event at the championships.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Iga Swiatek won the Canadian Open tennis title by beating Elena Rybakina in straight sets. In the men's final, Ben Shelton won the Canadian Open again without losing a set, defeating Brandon Nakashima.
Key Facts
Iga Swiatek won the Canadian Open women’s final 6-2, 6-3 against world number two Elena Rybakina.
Swiatek made two breaks of serve and saved two break points during the match.
This was Swiatek’s first WTA title of the season and her 26th career title.
Swiatek will move back into the top five in the world rankings after this win.
Ben Shelton won the men’s Canadian Open final 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) over Brandon Nakashima.
Shelton became the first player since 2019 to defend the Canadian Open title and the first since 2016 to win it without losing a set.
The men’s final was the first all-American ATP Masters 1,000 final since 2003.
Katie Boulter won her first match at the Cincinnati Open, beating American Katie Volynets 7-5, 0-6, 6-4.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The article provides advice for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players by analyzing top picks from each of the 20 Premier League teams. Experts highlight key players to choose, lesser-known players who could perform well, and players who might not be worth selecting at the start of the season.
Key Facts
The Fantasy Premier League season starts on Friday, August 21.
Four experts share their player recommendations for each Premier League club.
Each expert picks a “talisman” (a top player to own), a “differential” (a lower-owned player with potential), and a player to avoid.
For Arsenal, Gabriel is the key defender to choose, Ben White is a good differential pick, and Christos Tzolis is advised to avoid.
Aston Villa’s key forward pick is Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash is a good differential defender, and Alejandro Garnacho is a risky choice.
Bournemouth’s main player is Marcus Tavernier, Adrien Truffert is a promising differential defender, and Evanilson is not recommended.
The article explains players based on their recent performance, potential playing time, and team strategies.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Prichard Colon, a Puerto Rican boxer, died at age 33, almost 11 years after suffering severe brain injuries in a 2015 fight against Terrel Williams. Colon was in a coma for 221 days after the fight and needed constant care due to his brain damage until his death at home in Florida.
Key Facts
Prichard Colon was seriously injured in a 2015 boxing match against Terrel Williams.
He went into a coma for 221 days following the fight.
Colon suffered a brain injury called a subdural haematoma, which required emergency surgery.
The fight ended with Williams winning by disqualification after Colon’s team removed his gloves.
Colon claimed Williams hit him with illegal punches to the back of the head, known as “rabbit punches.”
After waking from the coma, Colon needed full-time care due to neurological damage.
Colon had an undefeated record with 16 fights and 13 knockouts before the injury.
The incident raised concerns about safety in boxing and affected both fighters’ lives.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jessica Bang, an 18-year-old Australian golfer, died after suffering a brain haemorrhage while preparing for a tournament in Thailand. She had emergency brain surgery and spent nearly two weeks in intensive care before passing away.
Key Facts
Jessica Bang was 18 years old and a rising star in golf from Australia.
She turned professional at the end of 2025.
Bang won her first professional event in her fifth start earlier in 2026.
She collapsed before a tournament in Thailand on August 1.
Bang was taken to a hospital in Bangkok and had emergency brain surgery.
She remained in intensive care for almost two weeks before she died.
Bang recently qualified for her first full season in the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
Her family set up a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and have a new manager, Xabi Alonso. They are trying to improve their performance this year and potentially win the league again, similar to what they did 10 years ago under Antonio Conte.
Key Facts
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season with no European football.
Ten years ago, Chelsea also finished 10th but won the Premier League the next season under Antonio Conte.
Conte changed Chelsea’s tactic from four defenders to three after a bad loss, leading to 13 straight wins.
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen team won the German league with a three-defender system in 2023-24.
Chelsea struggled to score goals last season, scoring 8 fewer than expected based on their chances.
A bad run of five league losses without scoring in 2024 led to the removal of head coach Liam Rosenior.
Not playing in European competitions this season means Chelsea have fewer games each week, which could help their performance.
The points needed to win the league recently have been lower than during the very high-scoring seasons of past years.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
New Zealand has decided not to support Gianni Infantino for a fourth term as FIFA president. This decision follows concerns about trust and transparency related to FIFA’s plan to sell part of the World Cup's commercial rights to private investors.
Key Facts
New Zealand is the only Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) member to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
New Zealand Football wants an independent review of FIFA’s Forward Enterprise Scheme to restore trust.
Several other countries, including England, Wales, Norway, and Ireland, have also withdrawn support for Infantino.
Three regional football groups—Europe’s UEFA, Asia’s AFC, and North/Central America’s Concacaf—no longer support Infantino.
Africa’s CAF and South America’s Conmebol continue to back Infantino for re-election.
The OFC welcomed FIFA’s decision to drop the planned commercial rights sale but did not officially withdraw its support for Infantino.
The controversy centers on FIFA’s attempt to sell 20% of World Cup commercial rights to private investors.
New Zealand Football emphasizes the need for stronger governance and transparency in FIFA.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has agreed to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona for about €50 million. Ferran Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
Key Facts
Ferran Torres is a forward who played for Barcelona before the transfer.
He scored the only goal in the World Cup final for Spain against Argentina.
PSG, the European champions, are set to sign him for around €50 million.
The transfer deal was reported by both French and Spanish media on August 14, 2026.
Ferran Torres will join a leading football club in Europe known for competing in top tournaments.
The World Cup final took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh won the 400m individual medley at the Pan Pacific Championships with a championship record time. Australia won the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay, while the United States took gold in the men’s 4x200 freestyle relay and several individual events.
Key Facts
Summer McIntosh of Canada won the 400m individual medley with a time of 4:28.01, setting a championship record.
Australia’s women’s team won the 4x200 freestyle relay in 7:42.40, breaking the previous championship record.
The US women’s relay team finished second in the 4x200 freestyle relay with a time of 7:43.10, also under the old record.
Katie Ledecky swam the final leg in the US relay team and commented on her enjoyment of that role.
The US men’s 4x200 freestyle relay team set a championship record with a time of 6:59.37.
Meg Harris of Australia won the women’s 100m freestyle with a time of 52.60 seconds.
American swimmers Jack Alexy and Patrick Sammon finished first and second in the men’s 100m freestyle.
Tomoyuki Matsushita of Japan won the men’s 400m individual medley, setting a new championship record and beating the previous mark held by American Ryan Lochte.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts tied 13-13 in a preseason game at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots saw some promising plays from backup players but struggled with kicking, and their defense showed strong pressure that led to several turnovers.
Key Facts
The game ended in a 13-13 tie between the Patriots and Colts.
Starting quarterback for the Patriots was Tommy DeVito, who performed well.
Kicker Andy Borregales made only 2 of 5 field goal attempts, missing three kicks between 49 and 56 yards.
The Patriots’ defense applied strong pressure, causing four turnovers from Colts quarterbacks.
Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are the top two running backs, with Jam Miller taking the lead for the third spot.
Several key wide receivers, like AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs, did not play in the game.
The Patriots focused on quick passing plays to protect the quarterback from pressure.
There were concerns about the team’s kicking position due to Borregales’ missed kicks.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jessica Bang, an 18-year-old Australian rookie professional golfer, died in a hospital in Thailand after collapsing while preparing for a tournament. She had emergency brain surgery but did not recover.
Key Facts
Jessica Bang was 18 years old and from Australia.
She was a rookie professional golfer on the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
Bang collapsed on August 1 in Thailand while preparing for a golf tournament.
She was taken to a hospital in Bangkok and had emergency brain surgery.
The WPGA Tour of Australasia announced her death and expressed sadness.
Bang earned her place on the tour by qualifying at the end of the previous year.
She won the Women’s New South Wales Open Regional Qualifying Event in February.
This was only her fifth professional golf event.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Enzo Maresca, the new Manchester City manager, is building a team that shares many ideas with his predecessor Pep Guardiola but uses a different game plan. Maresca’s team focuses on positional play with a 3-2-2-3 formation and relies on wide wingers to create attacking chances.
Key Facts
Maresca was inspired by Guardiola but has his own coaching style.
Both coaches emphasize positional play, meaning players keep specific spots to control the game.
Guardiola’s teams kept a strong defense behind the ball while attacking; Maresca’s team does this too.
Maresca uses a 3-2-2-3 formation with three defenders, two midfielders, two advanced midfielders, and three attackers.
One midfielder often moves forward to support attacks, while another stays back to defend.
Wingers in Maresca’s system stay wide and high to stretch opposing teams.
This winger role is different from Guardiola’s last season, when wingers played more narrowly.
Maresca’s approach echoes Manchester City’s earlier style when players like Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane played wide.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Kyle Schwarber, a player for the Philadelphia Phillies, hit two home runs during a special baseball game held at the Field of Dreams movie site in Iowa. Schwarber enjoyed the unique experience and looks forward to sharing it with his children by watching the movie together in the future.
Key Facts
The game took place on August 13, 2026, at the Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa.
Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs in the game, helping the Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins 7-1.
Schwarber leads the major leagues with 37 home runs for the season.
He grew up in Ohio, played college baseball in Indiana, and spent six seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
Schwarber was part of the Cubs team that won the World Series in 2016.
The special event included 26 National Baseball Hall of Fame members participating in the pregame ceremony.
Schwarber plans to watch the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" with his children someday to share his experience playing at the site.
The movie setting includes a famous house and a cornfield, which is now part of the baseball park where the game was held.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins played a Major League Baseball game near the famous "Field of Dreams" movie site in Dyersville, Iowa. The Phillies won the game with a score of 7-1.
Key Facts
The game took place in Dyersville, Iowa, a small town with a population of 4,477.
The location is near the farmland where the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" was filmed.
Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott of the Phillies were seen at the movie site before the game.
Alana Springsteen performed the US national anthem before the game started.
Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies hit a home run on the third pitch in the first inning.
The scoreboard used during the game was hand-operated and changed throughout the innings.
Brandon Marsh and other players made key plays during the game.
The Phillies beat the Twins by 7 runs to 1.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
British sprinter Amy Hunt has won gold medals in both the 100 meters and 200 meters races at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. At 24 years old, she aims to win a total of four gold medals, including in relay races.
Key Facts
Amy Hunt won the 100-meter final earlier in the week at the 2026 European Athletics Championships.
She won the 200-meter gold medal on August 13, 2026, at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Hunt plans to compete in two relay events and hopes to win more gold medals.
She won a silver medal in the 200m at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she was part of the British 4x100 relay team that won silver.
Hunt set an under-18 women’s world best time of 22.42 seconds in the 200m in 2019.
She studied English Literature at the University of Cambridge while training.
Hunt often quotes a character from the movie “High School Musical” to express her goal of winning all the gold medals.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
LSU football coach Lane Kiffin supports cornerback D.J. Pickett wearing the No. 5 jersey previously worn by former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, despite Daniels’ objections. Daniels, now with the Washington Commanders, has sent a legal letter asking LSU to stop using his name and image for promotion, but he remains focused on his NFL career.
Key Facts
D.J. Pickett is wearing the No. 5 jersey at LSU, a number previously worn by Jayden Daniels in 2023.
Lane Kiffin says Pickett was promised No. 5 when he signed with LSU and supports him keeping it.
Jayden Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy and was drafted second overall by Washington Commanders in 2024.
Daniels’ lawyer sent LSU a cease-and-desist letter to stop using Daniels’ name, image, or likeness.
LSU removed replica Jayden Daniels jerseys from its online store.
Pickett has worn No. 5 since August 2026 but wore No. 3 as a freshman in 2025.
LSU policy only permanently retires the No. 20 jersey, worn by Billy Cannon.
LSU officials have not made official comments on the jersey dispute.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom left a game against the Los Angeles Angels after two innings because his right triceps felt tired. He has been dealing with injuries since the All-Star break and gave up two runs before being replaced.
Key Facts
Jacob deGrom left the game due to right triceps fatigue after pitching two innings.
He has been dealing with a left hip and glute injury since the All-Star break.
DeGrom gave up two runs and five hits in his short outing before being replaced.
It was the first time since 2017 that he allowed five or more hits in one inning.
He has struck out three batters and walked one in this game.
He needs two more strikeouts to reach 2,000 career strikeouts, a major milestone.
DeGrom has allowed 10 earned runs in 10 innings against the Angels this season.
He has faced multiple injuries and had Tommy John surgery in June 2023, missing much of his first two seasons with Texas.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Rasheem Biles, a senior linebacker, transferred from Pittsburgh to Texas after receiving interest from several teams, including Ohio State. Despite Ohio State's attempt to recruit him by emphasizing his Columbus roots, Biles chose Texas, where he feels the defensive system suits his skills better.
Key Facts
Rasheem Biles entered the NCAA transfer portal after leaving Pittsburgh.
Multiple teams, including Pittsburgh, Purdue, West Virginia, and Marshall, showed interest in Biles.
Ohio State tried to recruit Biles by highlighting his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
Biles rejected Ohio State, saying he was not interested in playing there.
Biles had 100 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns last season.
Over three years at Pittsburgh, he recorded 183 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and three defensive touchdowns.
Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp runs a defense that fits Biles’ playing style well.
Biles expects playing at Texas to increase his exposure for the NFL draft.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 NFL draft pick and Heisman Trophy winner, threw a touchdown pass in his preseason debut for the Las Vegas Raiders, who lost 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals. Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and showed promising moments during the game.
Key Facts
Fernando Mendoza is the Raiders’ No. 1 draft pick and won the Heisman Trophy in college.
Mendoza threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jack Bech in the preseason game.
He completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards in his first preseason game.
Mendoza nearly threw a second touchdown pass but it was out of reach for his receiver.
The game ended with the Cardinals beating the Raiders 27-14.
Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby did not play after knee surgery in January.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck did not play due to sore ribs, so the expected matchup with Mendoza did not happen.
The Raiders’ Kirk Cousins and Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett each threw a touchdown in limited action.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
