Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes broke the Premier League single-season assists record on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign, notching his 21st assist in United’s 3-0 win at Brighton on May 24. The Portuguese midfielder, who had been named Premier League Player of the Season the day before, also scored in the game and finished the league campaign with nine goals and 30 goal involvements. The milestone has been overshadowed by a public spat with former United midfielder Roy Keane, who earlier criticised Fernandes for prioritising individual glory after United’s win at Nottingham Forest. Fernandes accused Keane of putting “words in my mouth” on The Diary of a CEO podcast and said he had sought Keane’s phone number to settle the matter privately after the Irishman later posted a social-media image likening the player to a donkey. United are reported to be preparing contract talks to remove a reported £56–57 million release clause amid interest from Saudi and European clubs. Former team-mates and ex-players have publicly defended Fernandes as the row continues.

The New York Knicks clinched their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999 by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference finals, closing the series with a 130-93 rout in Game 4 in Cleveland on May 26, 2026. The victory capped an 11-game postseason winning streak for New York, one of the most dominant runs in NBA history — the Knicks outscored opponents by a staggering margin across that stretch. Jalen Brunson was named Eastern Conference finals MVP after averaging roughly 25.5 points and 7.8 assists in the series. Key contributors included Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, with reserve Landry Shamet delivering timely 3-point shooting. New York will await the Western Conference champion — either the San Antonio Spurs or defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder, tied 2-2 in their series — with Game 1 of the NBA Finals scheduled for June 3. The sweep gives the Knicks extra rest and continuity as they prepare for their third Finals appearance in franchise history and a chance at their first title since 1973.

PARIS, May 25, 2026 — Iga Swiatek moved smoothly into the second round of the French Open with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Emerson Jones as Roland Garros opened its main draw. Veteran Stan Wawrinka bowed out of the tournament — and likely his Paris chapter — with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong, while fellow elder statesman Gael Monfils fell in five sets to compatriot Hugo Gaston (6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0). Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen suffered a shock 6-4, 6-0 defeat to Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska on Court 7 and is set to drop from world No. 56 to outside the top 100 after a season disrupted by elbow surgery. Heat and humidity affected several players: Casper Ruud endured dizziness and multiple medical timeouts before edging Roman Safiullin in five sets. Other early results included Elena Rybakina, Matteo Berrettini, Andrey Rublev, Ben Shelton and debutant Rafael Jodar advancing. The opening day combined showpiece results, veteran farewells and health concerns in sweltering conditions.

Essendon Football Club on May 26, 2026 confirmed it has parted ways with senior coach Brad Scott with more than a year left on his contract after the Bombers managed just one win in their past 24 matches and sit bottom of the AFL ladder. The board, led by president Andrew Welsh, said a “fresh voice” was needed after worrying trends in defence and lack of progress against club KPIs. Assistant Dean Solomon has been named interim coach ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Coast. Reports say Scott will receive a significant payout that will hit the club’s soft-cap — estimates range from about A$1.3m to as high as A$2m. Welsh told media the club is not ruling anyone in or out as a successor and confirmed he had not yet spoken to former coach and club great James Hird, whose name has been widely floated among supporters and pundits. The decision follows a six‑week reversal from public board endorsement of Scott and comes amid broader scrutiny of list management, player discontent (including recurrent trade speculation around Zach Merrett) and the Bombers’ wider rebuild.

Day two of the 2026 French Open in Paris on May 25 produced a mix of expected progress for top seeds and notable shocks. Women’s heavyweights Iga Świątek (3) and Elena Rybakina (2) advanced comfortably, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka and men’s top seed Jannik Sinner began their campaigns as scheduled. American talents Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe also moved through to round two and Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud secured wins to progress. Upsets included 12th seed Jiří Lehečka’s straight-sets loss to Pablo Carreño Busta and Zheng Qinwen’s surprise 6-4, 6-0 defeat to qualifier Maja Chwalińska. Two veteran departures framed the day: Stan Wawrinka was beaten by Jesper de Jong and France’s Gaël Monfils bowed out in what could be his final Roland Garros, losing a five-set night match to compatriot Hugo Gaston. Play was affected by hot conditions, with organisers and fans coping with high temperatures across the grounds.