ITV and the BBC have revealed contrasting plans for their coverage of the expanded FIFA World Cup 2026, setting up an early ratings battle. ITV will base its full tournament coverage in New York, staging a studio with views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan and deploying a high-profile punditry line-up including Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright, with Mark Pougatch and Laura Woods fronting broadcasts. ITV plans to leverage its US base with travelogues and mini‑documentaries alongside live matches, and has secured early quarter-final picks and England’s opening fixture in Dallas. The BBC, citing budgetary and environmental reasons, will keep its principal presenting team in Salford until at least the quarter-finals and will cover many fixtures from UK studios, only sending top pundits stateside later in the tournament. Broadcasters have split rights across the 104‑match tournament and will both air the final; each also holds specific picks for knockout stages and England games. The differences reflect logistical pressures from the tournament’s expansion and the tri‑nation hosting across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Newell’s Old Boys officials say they are working to bring Lionel Messi back to his boyhood club in the first half of 2027, vice president Juan Manuel Medina told Argentine outlet TN. Messi, 38, remains under contract at MLS side Inter Miami through 2028 after signing a renewal in October, but Newell’s say the move would be a wider project for the city of Rosario, the province and Argentine football and will depend on upgraded infrastructure and a competitive sporting programme. Messi has long spoken of his dream to finish his career at Newell’s; he played a friendly against them for Inter Miami in February 2024. Discussions come as MLS plans to realign its calendar with Europe in 2027, a development that could open a loan window for Messi if both clubs agree. The forward has been central to Inter Miami’s recent success, including the 2025 MLS Cup and consecutive MVP awards, and remains a key figure for Argentina ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

San Francisco 49ers All‑Pro running back Christian McCaffrey was named the USAA 2025 Salute to Service award winner in an announcement on Feb. 4, 2026. The honour recognises NFL figures who support the military community; McCaffrey prevailed over Minnesota’s Aaron Jones and Dallas’ Jake Ferguson. His 23 and Troops foundation, launched in 2021, has raised roughly $700,000 for veteran support, with notable pledges including $250,000 to REBOOT Recovery and $250,000 in partnership with Resilience Code to provide veterans a full year of personalised medical care. The foundation also covered holiday layaway balances for 515 military families. McCaffrey has emphasised veteran mental‑health needs—citing concerns such as veteran suicide rates—and regularly connects with active‑duty personnel, veterans and their families. As part of the award, USAA will donate $25,000 in McCaffrey’s name to official service aid societies, with the NFL Foundation matching that $25,000 to his chosen military charity. He will be recognised at the NFL Honors ceremony.

Paul Pogba has been left out of AS Monaco’s squad for the Champions League knockout phase after a disrupted comeback from an 18-month suspension. The 32-year-old, who joined Monaco on a two-year deal in June 2025, returned to competitive action only on Nov. 22, 2025 — his first appearance after an 811-day absence following a failed drugs test in September 2023 and an initial four‑year ban that was reduced on appeal. Pogba made three brief substitute appearances (about 30 minutes in total) before suffering a calf injury on Dec. 5 that has kept him sidelined. Monaco chief executive Thiago Scuro has admitted the “plan” since Pogba’s arrival has not worked and said the club’s medical team is seeking solutions. Under UEFA rules clubs could register three additional players for the knockout rounds; Monaco have added Wout Faes, Simon Adingra and Krépin Diatta and removed Pogba along with Mohammed Salisu and Takumi Minamino (both facing season‑ending knee injuries). Monaco will meet Paris Saint‑Germain in two-legged knockout play-offs later this month, with first and second legs scheduled for Feb. 17 and Feb. 25, 2026.

The Supreme Court of India on Feb. 5, 2026 modified a January 2017 order that had directed former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur to “cease and desist” from involvement in board affairs. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi applied the doctrine of proportionality and allowed Thakur to participate in BCCI meetings subject to the board’s rules and regulations, after he tendered an unqualified apology to the court. The 2017 action followed initiation of contempt and perjury proceedings against Thakur over a false affidavit alleging he had written to then-ICC chair Shashank Manohar on BCCI autonomy and related to implementation of the Lodha committee recommendations. Contempt and perjury proceedings were previously dropped in July 2017 after Thakur’s in-person apology; the Feb. 5 ruling further narrows the earlier prohibition, restoring his ability to engage with the cricket body. The order followed a petition by Thakur seeking modification of the earlier restriction.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has said the fierce atmospheres once synonymous with English football grounds are less aggressive than they were 30 years ago, while acknowledging Elland Road remains a tough venue. Speaking ahead of Forest’s relegation battle at Leeds, Dyche said modern supporters are "not as hostile" but that the Yorkshire ground still carries a "real feel" and presents a challenge. Forest and Leeds sit level on 26 Premier League points, six above the relegation zone, making the meeting a pivotal six-pointer for both clubs’ survival hopes. Dyche confirmed he will assess goalkeeper Matz Sels (thigh) and winger Callum Hudson-Odoi (shoulder) before the trip. With Neco Williams suspended, new deadline-day signing Luca Netz could be in contention to make his first appearance. Dyche described Netz as a young signing bought with the future in mind but did not indicate whether he would start.

Brady Dunlap sank all six of his 3-point attempts and scored a career-high 22 points off the bench as No. 19 Saint Louis rallied to beat Davidson 91-82 on Tuesday night in Davidson, North Carolina. The Billikens (22-1, 10-0 Atlantic 10) overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to extend their winning streak to 16 games. Saint Louis surged early in the second half on a 16-0 run, turning a 57-50 deficit into a nine-point lead; Dunlap’s shooting and balanced scoring helped the team shoot 50.8% for the game. Robbie Avila added 17 points, Amari McCottry had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Trey Green contributed 13 for Saint Louis. Davidson (13-9, 5-5) was led by Josh Scovens with 17 and Parker Friedrichsen with 15, but the Wildcats’ second-half offense stalled — they scored just 16 points in the first 8 1/2 minutes after halftime — and could not recover. The Billikens will host La Salle next, while Davidson returns home to face Loyola Chicago.

The Ottawa Senators recorded a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday but saw their four-game winning streak snapped 24 hours later in a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. In Pittsburgh Claude Giroux scored the winner after a lengthy review following a trip by former Senator Erik Karlsson; Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs and coach Dan Muse expressed frustration after an unsuccessful challenge. Tim Stutzle and Michael Amadio also scored and Linus Ullmark picked up the win. In Raleigh, Seth Jarvis scored twice, Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists and Jordan Staal delivered the go-ahead goal with 5:07 left as rookie Brandon Bussi made 22 saves. Ottawa goals in that game came from Stephen Halliday, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, but James Reimer allowed four and the Senators’ push for a wild-card spot — still several points back of the Boston Bruins — stalled ahead of the NHL’s Olympic break and the March 6 trade deadline.

Aden Durde, a north London native, has emerged as the architect of the Seattle Seahawks’ dominant defence and will become the first coach from the United Kingdom to coach on Super Bowl sidelines when Seattle meets New England. Now in his second season as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, Durde and head coach Mike Macdonald have transformed a unit that ranked 30th in 2023 into one of the NFL’s best, allowing a league‑best 17.2 points per game and finishing sixth overall this season. Players credit Durde’s individual development work and motivational style for the turnaround. Durde’s unusual path to the NFL includes playing for the London Olympians and in NFL Europe, brief practice‑squad stints in the NFL, a period as London Warriors defensive coordinator, and participation in the NFL’s coaching fellowship and international development programmes. The profile notes both setbacks—he was released early in his playing career after testing positive for a performance‑enhancing drug—and a steady climb through coaching ranks that culminates in the Super Bowl spotlight.

Scotland striker James Wilson, 18, has moved from Heart of Midlothian to Tottenham Hotspur on a deadline-day loan with an option to buy, agreeing to join Spurs’ Under-21s for the remainder of the season. Wilson, who made his Scotland debut aged 18 last year and has scored eight goals in 45 senior appearances for Hearts, has struggled for first-team minutes this campaign as Hearts sit near the top of the Scottish Premiership. Arsenal had been in talks with Hearts earlier in the window but did not complete a deal, and Tottenham submitted terms late to secure the teenager. Hearts manager Derek McInnes publicly questioned the move, saying Wilson is "better than academy football" and that staying in the first-team environment at Tynecastle would have been preferable. Pundits and former players have also suggested the transfer risks reducing Wilson’s competitive senior minutes in favour of development games in England, though Spurs say they will assess him with a view to a permanent signing if he impresses.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon on Thursday expressed full confidence in the league’s Integrity Unit after new court filings reopened scrutiny of the AFL’s 2025 probe into former Carlton president Luke Sayers. The episode stems from a lewd image posted to Sayers’ X account on Jan. 8, 2025; the Integrity Unit concluded the account had been compromised and cleared Sayers, who resigned 15 minutes after the findings were released. Sayers’ estranged wife, Cate, has lodged a defamation claim in Victoria’s Supreme Court alleging he implied she was responsible for the post in a statutory declaration provided to the AFL and made damaging comments about her mental health. Dillon said the AFL will ‘do what we need to do’ if required to assist in the legal process and praised Integrity Unit head Tony Keane and the unit’s resourcing. The revival of the matter also comes amid wider questions about executive changes at AFL House, including the departure of government relations boss Jude Donnelly and recent appointments of Greg Swann and Tom Harley. Sayers has rejected the claims and said he will defend against the allegations.

STAVELY, Alberta — Three junior players from the Southern Alberta Mustangs were killed on Monday, Feb. 2, when the car they were in collided with a northbound semi-truck hauling gravel at the Highway 2 and 55 Avenue intersection north of Stavely. Victims were identified as JJ Wright, 18, and Cameron Casorso, 18, both from Kamloops, B.C., and 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama. All three were declared dead at the scene; the truck driver, a 40-year-old Stavely resident, sustained minor injuries. Alberta RCMP continue an investigation and a collision reconstructionist attended the scene. Alberta Transportation said it will conduct a standard post-incident review of signage, lighting, collision history and operational factors at the intersection; records cited in local reports show seven collisions there between 2014 and 2025, including a fatal crash last September. The Mustangs, who play in the U.S. Premier Hockey League’s Alberta division, and surrounding towns have installed memorials, lowered flags and organised a benefit game and fundraisers for the families. Messages of condolence have poured in from political leaders and the broader hockey community.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has published a new edition of the Laws of Cricket, detailing 73 amendments that will take effect from October 1, 2026. Key sport-wide changes include permitting laminated (Type D) bats in open-age recreational cricket to ease rising English-willow costs and improve sustainability; standardising three ball-size categories for men's, women's and junior cricket; and mandating completion of the final over in multi-day matches even if a wicket falls. The update also tightens and clarifies several contentious areas: overthrows are now defined as deliberate throws aimed at the stumps, ball control standards for run-outs and stumpings are raised, the ‘bunny hop’ boundary catch is restricted to a single airborne touch, wicketkeeper positioning is relaxed during a bowler’s run-up (but must be behind the stumps at release), and the conditions for declaring a ball ‘finally settled’ have been broadened. MCC said extensive testing supported the changes and left implementation details in some areas to national governing bodies; the ICC’s Cricket Committee will discuss the revisions for inclusion in international playing conditions.

King Charles has granted Scotland a one-off bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026 to mark the national men’s team’s first match at the FIFA World Cup since 1998. The royal proclamation, issued under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, followed a formal request from First Minister John Swinney asking that the day after Scotland’s opening fixture against Haiti (scheduled for Sunday 14 June, 2am UK time) be recognised. The declaration applies only to Scotland and does not create a UK-wide holiday. Officials have noted that while the date is formally a bank holiday, employers — including banks and private businesses — are not legally required to give staff a paid day off, so entitlement will depend on contracts and employer decisions. The decision comes as Scotland returns to an expanded 48-team tournament running from 11 June to 19 July 2026, with matches staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Scotland are in a challenging group alongside Brazil and Morocco. The move was welcomed by Scottish ministers and fans as a recognition of a long-awaited World Cup return.

Gavin McKenna, an 18-year-old Penn State freshman and the consensus top prospect for the 2026 NHL draft, has been charged in State College, Pennsylvania, after an alleged altercation on Jan. 31. State College police filed a criminal complaint on Feb. 4 charging McKenna with first‑degree felony aggravated assault — defined in Pennsylvania as attempting to cause serious bodily injury or causing injury with extreme indifference — plus misdemeanor simple assault and two summary counts for disorderly conduct and harassment. Authorities say the victim, a 21‑year‑old man, suffered serious facial injuries that required corrective surgery. McKenna was arraigned, posted $20,000 bail and is awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 11. The incident reportedly occurred hours after Penn State’s outdoor game at Beaver Stadium, where McKenna recorded a goal and two assists. Penn State Athletic officials and McKenna’s representatives have declined extended comment. A felony conviction would carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison under Pennsylvania law. The charges have prompted scrutiny from NHL teams, college officials and sponsors as the legal process unfolds.

Scotland named a largely Glasgow-based XV for their Guinness Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on Saturday, with a few surprise calls from head coach Gregor Townsend. Bristol’s Tom Jordan starts at full-back in place of Blair Kinghorn, who is omitted from the matchday 23, while Jamie Dobie earns his first Six Nations start on the wing and Duhan van der Merwe is left out entirely. Sione Tuipulotu captains the side with Finn Russell as vice-captain and Ben White at scrum-half. The pack is unchanged in strength: Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman (passed fit), and Zander Fagerson in the front row; Scott Cummings and Grant Gilchrist in the second row; and Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge (vice-captain) and Jack Dempsey in the back row. Townsend has selected a 5-3 forwards-backs bench split, with Darcy Graham among the replacements. Assistant coach Lee Radford reported a clean bill of health for key players (Dempsey, Dobie, Cherry, Ashman) though Liam McConnell withdrew with a rib injury. With heavy rain forecast at the Stadio Olimpico, Scotland expect an aerial, physical contest and have tailored selection and tactics accordingly.

The Australian Rugby League Commission on Feb. 4-5 confirmed four rule changes for the 2026 NRL season, most notable an expanded interchange structure. Teams may now name six players on the interchange bench (players 14–19 inclusive) though only four can be used in a match, with a cap of eight interchanges across 80 minutes. The package also restricts trainers’ entry to the field to prescribed circumstances, removes a seven-tackle restart after an attacking knock-on in-goal (no “zero-tackle” reward), and restarts the tackle count for certain infringements beyond the 20-metre line (replacing a 40m threshold). A proposed kick-off change — which would have allowed the non-scoring team to choose to kick or receive after a try — was deferred for trial later in the season after stakeholder concerns. League officials and coaches say the tweaks boost tactical options and entertainment value; the NRL warned clubs will need to manage workloads as fringe players may be used as in-game insurance and could be asked to back up between grade levels on the same day.

Tony Pigott, a former England seamer and influential figure in county cricket, has died aged 67, the England and Sussex game said on Tuesday. Pigott, who had previously battled oesophageal cancer, suffered a heart attack and passed away on Sunday, according to reports. A product of Sussex, he took more than 1,000 wickets across first‑class and List A cricket, famously taking a hat‑trick on his first‑class debut and earning a late Test call‑up in 1984 that forced him to postpone his own wedding. He took two wickets in his solitary Test in Christchurch. After an 18‑year playing career (Sussex and later Surrey), Pigott held coaching and administrative roles, including Sussex CEO following a boardroom takeover, and later worked as a pitch inspector, match referee and ECB pitch liaison officer. Tributes poured in from former players and officials, including Chris Adams and Ian Gould, who praised his transformative impact on Sussex and the county game.

New Zealand’s men’s T20 World Cup preparations have been disrupted by a viral illness that has struck key batters Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway, the side’s head coach Rob Walter said on Feb. 5. Both players will miss a warm-up against the United States in Mumbai as they recover, while top-order batter Finn Allen is being rested as he continues to manage a shoulder complaint. All-rounder Michael Bracewell, who missed New Zealand’s recent series against India with a calf problem, is expected to be available for the tournament’s early matches. The Black Caps have also seen Jimmy Neesham fall ill and paceman Lockie Ferguson return from injury after showing encouraging form. Walter expressed optimism that the squad would be fit for their opening World Cup match against Afghanistan in Chennai, but acknowledged the challenges of touring and late fitness uncertainties. The setbacks come as New Zealand seek their first T20 World Cup title and try to build momentum in the subcontinent conditions ahead of the tournament fixtures.

An unnamed Premier League player complained to club officials after being featured on the front cover of his club’s matchday programme during the Rainbow Laces period for two consecutive seasons, according to reporting in The Athletic. The player’s objection was described as one of personal representation rather than opposition to equality initiatives. The disclosure comes as the Premier League prepares to launch a revised inclusion drive, With Pride, running Feb. 6-13, which follows the league’s split last year with LGBT charity Stonewall and the end of the long-running Rainbow Laces campaign. Under the new approach, symbolic obligations on players will be scaled back: team captains will not be required to wear rainbow armbands and players will not be mandated to wear pride-themed warm-up jackets or rainbow boot laces. League officials said inclusion messaging will instead be delivered through stadium screens, pitch-side advertising and match presentation infrastructure. The shift follows a turbulent season in which incidents such as Sam Morsy refusing to wear an armband, Marc Guehi writing religious messages on an armband and Noussair Mazraoui declining a pride-themed jacket exposed tensions between individual beliefs and league-led symbolism.