Mauricio Pochettino, the US men’s national soccer team coach, is continuing to evaluate new and young players after the team’s 4-1 loss in the World Cup round of 16. He has included many uncapped and very young players in the upcoming friendlies to build a new team and focus on their mindset and commitment.
Key Facts
Pochettino took over as USMNT coach about two and a half years ago.
The US team lost 4-1 in the last 16 round of the recent World Cup.
Despite the loss, Pochettino signed a contract to potentially stay until 2030.
Upcoming friendly matches include 13 uncapped players, meaning they have never played for the national team before.
The average age of these new players is about 19 and a half years.
Star player Christian Pulisic was left out due to recent injury recovery.
Other key players like Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie are also absent due to lack of play or injury.
Pochettino is focusing not just on skills but also on players’ attitudes and commitment to the team’s culture and style of play.
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Thomas Tuchel will announce his first England football squad since the World Cup, aiming to prepare for upcoming Nations League games. The squad might include new players and see changes in positions, as England looks to build on their third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup.
Key Facts
Thomas Tuchel becomes the England manager after the 2026 World Cup.
England finished third, winning 6-4 against France in the bronze-medal match.
Tuchel will pick his squad for four Nations League matches in 11 days.
Young players like Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Hall are in the provisional squad.
Some players left out of the World Cup squad, such as Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, may return.
Injured players like Jordan Henderson and John Stones are expected to be omitted.
Harry Kane was the main striker at the World Cup; backup options are being explored.
Ollie Watkins’ move to Saudi Arabia raises questions about his England future.
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Clearlake Capital has taken full ownership of Chelsea Football Club, ending the chairmanship of Todd Boehly. Chelsea’s head coach Xabi Alonso said the club’s goals are clear: to compete at the highest level and win major trophies.
Key Facts
Clearlake Capital now fully owns Chelsea, after buying out Todd Boehly and Mark Walter’s shares.
Boehly and Walter, who are US billionaires, originally partnered with Clearlake to buy Chelsea in 2022.
The deal values Chelsea at about £5 billion ($6.6 billion), including debt.
Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss remains a key partner in Chelsea’s ownership group.
Coach Xabi Alonso praised the clarity of the club’s ambitions under Clearlake’s leadership.
Since the 2022 takeover, Chelsea finished fourth in the Premier League for 2024/25 and won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season, and Alonso is working to improve the team.
Boehly and Walter also sold their shares in French club Strasbourg, giving Clearlake full control there too.
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Puma's online store temporarily removed the sportswear collection linked to athlete Joanna Wietrzyk amid controversy over her win at a Hyrox competition in Beijing. Wietrzyk completed the race despite suffering fecal incontinence, which raised health concerns and led her to forfeit the win, while Hyrox updated rules to allow officials to withdraw unwell racers.
Key Facts
Puma removed the "Joanna Wietrzyk x Puma" collection from its website, redirecting to a general Hyrox page.
There is no official statement from Puma about ending its partnership with Wietrzyk.
Wietrzyk had been a Puma ambassador in the Hyrox fitness sport since at least October 2025.
During a Hyrox event in Beijing, Wietrzyk experienced fecal incontinence but finished the race and won.
The incident spread online, with mixed reactions about her decision to continue competing.
Wietrzyk apologized publicly and decided to give up her Hyrox victory after the backlash.
Hyrox admitted to poor handling of the situation and apologized, with the co-founder taking responsibility.
Hyrox changed its rules so race officials can now stop a competitor showing signs of contamination risk, marking them as "Did Not Finish" if withdrawn.
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The final race of the 2026 World Rally Championship will move from Saudi Arabia to Italy due to ongoing unrest in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia will still host the rally on the original dates, but it will be part of a different regional championship instead of the global WRC.
Key Facts
The last race of the 2026 WRC was planned for Saudi Arabia from November 11-14 but will now be held in Sardinia, Italy from October 1-4.
The WRC season is shortened from 14 to 13 rounds because of this change.
Saudi Arabia joined the World Rally Championship calendar in 2025.
The FIA, the global body for motor sports, said the decision was made due to "uncertainty in the region" affecting logistics.
Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East include the Israel-Gaza war, Iran and U.S. conflict, and fighting involving Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Other sports events like Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were also moved or canceled in 2026 because of safety concerns.
WRC leader Elfyn Evans from Great Britain is close to winning the championship before the final round.
Organizers and the FIA still support Saudi Arabia hosting rallies in the future despite this year's change.
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Michael Carrick’s position as Manchester United manager is under pressure due to a poor start to the season. BBC Sport expert Chris Sutton and musician Johnny Marr made predictions for Premier League matches this weekend, including the important Manchester United vs. Fulham game.
Key Facts
Manchester United has had a bad start to the 2026-2027 Premier League season.
Manchester United plays Fulham before a three-week international break.
Chris Sutton is predicting scores for all 380 Premier League games this season.
Johnny Marr, a guitarist and Manchester City fan, joined Sutton for week four predictions.
Manchester City has started the season with four wins under their new manager, Enzo Maresca.
Marr praised City’s strong start despite early challenges like a player’s early red card.
BBC Sport uses AI (Microsoft Copilot Chat) to generate Premier League score predictions.
Sutton, Marr, and AI predictions differ on match outcomes, such as the Chelsea vs. Brentford game.
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An Australian athlete, Joanna Wietrzyk, apologized for continuing to race after soiling herself during a Hyrox fitness competition in Beijing. She said she will withdraw from the race and regrets not leaving the event sooner. The Hyrox organizers apologized for how the situation was handled and promised to improve future event procedures.
Key Facts
Joanna Wietrzyk competed in a Hyrox event in Beijing and soiled herself during the race.
She apologized publicly and said she would forfeit her win from the competition.
Wietrzyk said she was healthy at the start and did not expect illness during the race.
Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste apologized for the unclear handling of the incident.
Hyrox stated it has safety and hygiene procedures but faced confusion during this event.
The competition involves running and fitness exercises like sled pushes and burpees.
Hyrox started in Germany in 2017 and has grown to be popular worldwide.
Organizers warned that anyone sending threats to the athlete would be banned from future events.
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The United States men’s national soccer team coach Mauricio Pochettino has chosen a mostly young 28-player squad for upcoming matches in September and October. Sixteen-year-old Cavan Sullivan could become the fourth-youngest player ever to play for the U.S., while some well-known players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are not included.
Key Facts
Mauricio Pochettino selected a 28-player squad for the U.S. men’s national team’s next four friendly games.
Cavan Sullivan, aged 16, may make his senior debut and could be the fourth-youngest U.S. player ever.
Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are not part of the team due to recent form and injuries.
Nine players in the squad have played 30 or more games for the U.S. before.
Several young and uncapped players, including goalkeepers Diego Kochen and Brian Schwake, are joining the team.
Sullivan has scored 6 goals and made 11 assists for Philadelphia this year, showing strong performance.
Other newcomers include promising young players like Zavier Gozo, Peyton Miller, and Julian Hall.
The team is focusing on younger talent as it prepares for future tournaments like the 2026 World Cup.
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Steve Belichick, the defensive coordinator and son of head coach Bill Belichick, has resigned from the University of North Carolina football team after an investigation found some actions that did not meet the school’s values. The investigation described the issues as limited, and the university is taking steps to fix the problems.
Key Facts
Steve Belichick will leave his job at UNC in late October after finishing medical leave.
UNC’s investigation found some actions showing a disregard for the school’s values and conduct rules.
The problems were described as isolated, not a widespread failure in the football program.
The university is implementing corrective measures with help from its athletic department and legal office.
Michael Lombardi, the team’s general manager and a recent hire, resigned earlier in September during the investigation.
Investigators asked about drug use in connection to Steve Belichick as part of their inquiry.
Bill Belichick stated he still has control over the football program when asked by reporters.
UNC supports Bill Belichick, who has won six Super Bowl titles as an NFL coach.
The football team has won its first two games this season and will play Clemson next.
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The Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to release all documents about his plan to sell a stake in the World Cup. She also wants an explanation for reversing the suspension of US player Folarin Balogun during the World Cup, as concerns have risen over FIFA's governance and culture.
Key Facts
Debbie Hewitt, FIFA vice-president and FA chair, sent a letter demanding documents on the aborted World Cup stake sale plan.
The plan, called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), would have created a company to manage commercial rights and sell 21% to private investors.
The FFE proposal was cancelled due to strong opposition from national football associations.
UEFA is preparing legal action against Infantino in US courts related to the FFE plan.
The Football Association raised concerns over the decision to suspend Balogun’s one-match ban after he received a red card.
US President Donald Trump confirmed he called Infantino to ask for Balogun's ban to be reviewed.
Many football associations withdrew their support for Infantino’s re-election, but some global confederations still back him.
Infantino must explain the FFE plan and Balogun case to the FIFA Council at their next meeting on 15 October.
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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft banned rapper Macklemore from performing at the Patriots’ stadium because of Macklemore’s support for Palestine and past controversial actions. Macklemore claims Kraft also influenced other NFL owners to stop him from appearing at stadium shows.
Key Facts
Robert Kraft stopped Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium due to his support for Palestine and a history of offensive actions.
Kraft said Macklemore’s past included antisemitic imagery that hurt the Jewish community.
Macklemore believes Kraft encouraged other NFL owners to block his performances at other stadiums.
The NFL has a history of reacting strongly to political protests, including against Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling.
Robert Kraft has presented himself as socially aware and has supported justice reform efforts by players.
Kraft privately financed the Patriots’ stadium and has a history of fighting to keep the team in New England.
Macklemore apologized in 2013 for using imagery critics called antisemitic during a concert.
The NFL’s past actions show a pattern of resisting players and artists who express political opinions.
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A Real Madrid fan group called Ultras Sur demanded public apologies from Kylian Mbappe and two teammates after they did not fully wear a T-shirt supporting people in Ceuta, a Spanish city facing a migration crisis. The players wore the tribute shirt partially rolled up, which the fan group and La Liga officials criticized as disrespectful.
Key Facts
Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konate wore a T-shirt supporting Ceuta partially rolled up before a Real Madrid game.
Ultras Sur, a Real Madrid fan group linked to far-right views, called their behavior unacceptable and asked for public apologies.
The T-shirt said "we are all Ceutans" to show support for people in Ceuta affected by a recent migration crisis.
La Liga President Javier Tebas said wearing the shirt halfway is like not wearing it at all.
The rest of the Real Madrid and Elche players wore the tribute shirt properly.
Ceuta is a Spanish city in North Africa overwhelmed by tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco, causing a humanitarian crisis.
At least 141 migrants died attempting to reach Ceuta, according to a Moroccan human rights group.
Mbappe said he wanted to show solidarity with both the victims in Ceuta and migrants facing difficult conditions.
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Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologized after she had bowel incontinence during a Hyrox race in Beijing, China. She decided to withdraw from the race and gave up her earned points because of the incident.
Key Facts
Joanna Wietrzyk is an athlete from Australia.
She competed in a Hyrox race in Beijing, China.
During the race, she suffered bowel incontinence.
Wietrzyk apologized publicly on Instagram for causing discomfort and disruption.
She said she felt healthy before the race and regrets not stopping earlier.
She has decided to withdraw her results and forfeit points from the race.
Wietrzyk thanked people who supported her and said she will take time to rest and recover.
The incident led to public discussion and some backlash against her.
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Jürgen Klopp, the new Germany football coach, said the national team can help bring positive pride to the country after a far-right party won big in a regional election. Klopp wants people to feel happy and proud when they see the German flag, showing openness and kindness, not fear or worry.
Key Facts
Klopp started coaching Germany in July after the team was eliminated early in the last World Cup.
The far-right party AfD won nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt and expects strong results in upcoming elections.
Klopp did not name AfD directly but expressed concern about national pride being in the wrong hands.
He called for “positive patriotism” and said being proud can include being open, diverse, and friendly.
Klopp named a 44-player squad for four Nations League matches to get to know many players.
Some players called up are new to the national team, including Felix Keidel and Younes Ebnoutalib.
Karim Adeyemi returns after 11 months, and Marc-André ter Stegen is the first-choice goalkeeper.
Well-known players Leroy Sané and Deniz Undav were not selected for the squad.
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Joe Salisbury, a top British doubles tennis player, has retired after the 2024 US Open. He won six Grand Slam doubles titles and ended his career with 17 tour-level wins.
Key Facts
Joe Salisbury is a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
He played his last tournament at the 2024 US Open, reaching the semi-finals.
Salisbury and his partner Rajeev Ram won three straight US Open men's doubles titles by 2023.
Salisbury also won the 2020 Australian Open doubles and two mixed doubles titles.
He took a break earlier in 2024 due to anxiety that made touring difficult.
Salisbury is considered Britain's most successful men's doubles player in the Open Era.
He won the ATP Finals in both 2022 and 2023.
Salisbury expressed pride and no regrets about his tennis career on social media.
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NBA player Kyrie Irving has promised to pay the $11,941 fine given to NFL player Azeez Al-Shaair. Al-Shaair was fined for displaying the name of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child killed in Gaza, on his eye black during a football game.
Key Facts
Azeez Al-Shaair, a football player for the Houston Texans, was fined $11,941 by the NFL.
The fine was for showing the name of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who died in Gaza, on his eye black during a game.
Kyrie Irving, a basketball star, said he would pay Al-Shaair’s fine.
Hind Rajab was five years old when Israeli forces killed her, as reported in a documentary.
Al-Shaair has spoken often about Palestinian rights and was fined before for wearing a “Stop The Genocide” message.
The NFL fined Al-Shaair while also holding moments of silence for Israel at games.
Some groups and individuals criticized the NFL for punishing Al-Shaair but not banning pro-Israel symbols.
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations supported Al-Shaair for his advocacy.
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Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami as the team won the Campeones Cup by beating Cruz Azul 2-0. Former England captain David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, praised Messi and said he should win a record ninth Ballon d’Or.
Key Facts
Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami in the Campeones Cup final.
Inter Miami won the Campeones Cup by defeating Cruz Azul 2-0.
The match featured a goal by Messi via a rare diving header and a winning goal by Casemiro from a Messi corner.
David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, supported Messi’s claim for the Ballon d’Or award.
Messi is 39 years old and recently retired from international soccer.
Casemiro, another Inter Miami player, praised Messi for his ongoing performance.
The Campeones Cup is an annual game between the winners of Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX.
Inter Miami’s new head coach, Cristian González, won the trophy in his first game managing the team.
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Australian cricketer Steve Smith says he still feels upset and stressed about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as "sandpapergate." He described being treated harshly by the public and media during the fallout but has since returned to playing at a high level and learned from the experience.
Key Facts
In 2018, Steve Smith and teammates Cameron Bancroft and David Warner were involved in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, where sandpaper was used to alter the cricket ball.
Smith admitted knowing about the cheating, lost his captaincy, and was banned from cricket for one year.
Smith and Warner both received one-year bans, while Bancroft was banned for nine months.
Smith said he felt unsupported and stressed, especially during intense media attention at the airport in Johannesburg and upon returning to Australia.
He has flashbacks and anxiety triggered by cameras and tries to avoid recalling the events.
Smith returned to international cricket in 2019 and was later named vice-captain for the Australian Test team.
He has played multiple times in South Africa and England, often facing hostile crowds but uses that as motivation.
Australia is scheduled to start a three-Test cricket series in South Africa on October 9, 2024.
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A river in Rockhampton, Queensland, home to about 500 saltwater crocodiles, has been approved to host rowing and canoeing events for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. An independent report said the course is suitable for competition based on weather, water levels, and safety, without considering the crocodiles.
Key Facts
The Fitzroy River in Rockhampton will host rowing and canoeing for the 2032 Brisbane Games.
About 500 saltwater crocodiles live in this river.
The river course passed a technical review focusing on conditions like water levels and weather.
The review was done by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA).
World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide (formerly International Canoe Federation) approved the venue.
The venue is already used for local and national flatwater sports events.
Brisbane 2032 officials said the crocodiles are not seen as a problem for the events.
Saltwater crocodiles can live in fresh and salt water and grow over six meters long.
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LeBron James and Will Smith recently visited Angola to support an electric raceboat series and promote tourism linked to African heritage. While their visits highlight Angola’s history and ties to the African diaspora, Angola’s government, led by President João Lourenço, has been increasing its control over civil society and limiting protests and media freedom.
Key Facts
LeBron James and Will Smith traveled to Angola to attend the E1 World Championship, a celebrity-backed electric raceboat event.
Angola’s president, João Lourenço, discussed promoting tourism, cinema, and basketball with the two celebrities.
Angola is developing roots tourism, aiming to connect with African Americans through the country’s history linked to the transatlantic slave trade.
James visited the National Museum of Slavery in Angola to raise global awareness of this history.
Lourenço’s government recently passed laws that increase monitoring and restrictions on civil society groups and media.
Angola has criminalized peaceful protests with harsh penalties and expanded government control over information.
The government continues investing in sports and entertainment to build influence abroad, with help from celebrity visits.
Critics note that while the celebrities’ involvement supports cultural ties, it also gives soft power to a government limiting freedoms.
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