Federal prosecutors told a Brooklyn court this week (March 4-5, 2026) they expect to extend formal plea agreements to 12 defendants in a sprawling federal probe of rigged high-stakes poker games that prosecutors say involved members of organised crime and prominent former professional athletes. More than 30 people were charged across two related indictments: one into mafia-backed, allegedly rigged poker games and a second involving insider sports-betting. The filings and a Wednesday status hearing set a trial date of Nov. 2, 2026. Key defendants include Hall of Famer and Portland coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones; both have pleaded not guilty to charges including money-laundering and wire-fraud conspiracies that carry up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have produced massive discovery — over 100,000 pages of records, more than 800 surveillance photos and multiple terabytes of electronic data, including pole-camera footage — and allege the schemes netted millions for cheating teams that used high-tech devices to manipulate games.

Arsenal reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after holding Sporting Lisbon to a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, advancing 1-0 on aggregate thanks to Kai Havertz’s stoppage-time winner in the first leg in Lisbon. The north London side secured back-to-back semi-final berths for the first time in the club’s history and will face Atlético Madrid, with the first leg in Spain on April 29 and the return at the Emirates on May 5. Arsenal were far from fluent across the two legs – managing only one shot on target in the second leg – but defended resolutely, recording their eighth clean sheet in 12 Champions League games this season. Manager Mikel Arteta praised the squad’s effort; captaincy duties for the recent fixtures fell to Declan Rice after players nominated him, and Rice played through illness. Arsenal remain top of the Premier League but have shown signs of late-season wobble, having lost recently in domestic cup and league matches, and now face a pivotal Premier League trip to Manchester City amid injury absences to Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard and a doubt over Noni Madueke.

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike suffered what appeared to be a serious right-leg injury — pointing to his Achilles tendon — and was stretchered off during the first half of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on April 14. PSG won 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals. Liverpool manager Arne Slot and teammates described the injury as looking “really bad.” French media and outlets reported on April 15 that scans point to a ruptured Achilles and that Ekitike could face approximately nine months out, which would rule him out of France’s squad for the World Cup in June-July. The 23-year-old, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt last July for around £69 million, has scored 17 goals this season for Liverpool. Club and national medical confirmations awaited, but the likely long-term absence poses immediate sporting and selection issues for Liverpool and France and potential financial and squad-planning implications for both club and country.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed an additional one-match suspension and fined £30,000 by the Football Association after a misconduct charge over his conduct following a red card at Bournemouth on March 20. The FA’s written reasons say fourth official Matthew Donohue reported Maguire shouted at officials as he left the field; the commission found he used abusive language and imposed the sanction after Maguire admitted the charge. The sanction means the 33-year-old will miss United’s upcoming Premier League trip to Chelsea. The absence compounds a defensive shortage: Lisandro Martínez is serving a three-match ban after being sent off against Leeds for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair (an appeal has been lodged), while Matthijs de Ligt remains out with a long-term back problem. Interim head coach Michael Carrick is therefore likely to rely on teenage centre-back options Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven or tactical reshuffles for Saturday’s match. United sit high in the table and face a run-in where results will be critical for Champions League qualification.

Bayern Munich rallied to beat Real Madrid 4-3 on April 15, 2026 at the Allianz Arena, sealing a 6-4 aggregate victory and a place in the Champions League semi-finals. Late strikes from Luis Díaz (89th) and Michael Olise (stoppage time) overturned Real’s fightback after a breathless first half that featured Arda Guler’s early goal and free-kick and Kylian Mbappé’s strike. Harry Kane also scored for Bayern, his 12th Champions League goal of the season and his 50th in all competitions this campaign. The tie turned decisively when substitute Eduardo Camavinga was sent off in the 86th minute; tempers flared after the final whistle and Guler was later shown a red for confronting the referee. Bayern will face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the last four. The win keeps Vincent Kompany’s side on course for a domestic treble as they chase the Bundesliga title and a German Cup semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen, while Real Madrid’s season looks increasingly likely to end without major silverware.

A’ja Wilson, the WNBA’s four-time Most Valuable Player, has re-signed with the Las Vegas Aces on a reported three-year, $5 million supermax contract, multiple US outlets reported April 15. Terms were not officially disclosed by the club, but ESPN and other media said the fully guaranteed deal would pay Wilson about $1.4 million in the upcoming season under the new collective bargaining agreement and increase in subsequent years as a share of the team salary cap. The move keeps the core of the defending champions intact — the Aces also re-signed Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd — and they added guard Chennedy Carter on a training-camp deal. Wilson, 29, dominated last season (23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks per game), led a 16-game winning streak and helped Las Vegas to its third title in four seasons. The signing comes after a breakthrough CBA that sharply raises league pay and follows growing media deals and expansion plans that have expanded the WNBA’s commercial footprint.