If you’d like a look at the candidates and their dossiers, we’ve got that here. This search is going to take some time — I’d venture April 1 is the fastest possible timeline, and even that is ambitious — so this tracker will update on more with UNC’s pursuit as the weekend plays out.
Oh, and we had a hiring in a power conference on Wednesday: Butler is bringing on alumnus Ronald Nored as its coach. The 36-year-old was the behind-the-scenes frontrunner after Thad Matta’s retirement and never lost the lead.
Butler wasn’t the only school to make a move: South Florida lured Chris Mack away from Charleston to be its next coach. That’s one that wasn’t flaring many radars, and the agreement came together in a flurry on Wednesday, per one source. Mack has the most wins (323) of any inbound USF coach at the time of their hiring in program history.
“I am truly excited for the opportunity to lead a South Florida basketball program that’s on an exceptional trajectory and to join a university and athletic department defined by strong leadership, shared aspirations, and tremendous alignment,” Mack said in a statement. “The exceptional vision and commitment Rob (Higgins) outlined are inspiring, and I am grateful for his trust and belief in my leadership of Bulls basketball. I’m eager to connect with Bulls Nation, the students in the SoFlo Rodeo, and the passionate fans who make the Yuengling Center such a special home court.”
Annnnnd we’ve got one more dose of college carousel gossip: The noise around Will Wadepotentially bailing on NC State after one year to double back to LSU has a lot of people in the college basketball world laughing but also shaking their heads. One source told me they expect this to happen, it’s just a matter of days. The lack of statement from LSU on Matt McMahon’s job security over the past two weeks has been conspicuous, to say the least.
Other hirings from earlier this week
At Arizona State, Randy Bennett agreed to a five-year contract to be the coach of the Sun Devils. The Mesa, Arizona, native finally said yes after previously turning down the school multiple times in prior searches.
Bennett spent the past 25 years at SMC and went 589-228, including 12 NCAA Tournament teams, five of which came in the past five seasons. The Gaels made one Sweet 16, in 2010, on Bennett’s watch. All told, he’s one of the 20-ish best coaches in college basketball; the work he did in Moraga was a lift few others could’ve sustained over two and a half decades. He’s more than earned a shot at the power-conference level.
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Arizona State placed a premium on Bennett, who was clearly catalyzed by the fact that Gonzaga is leaving the WCC and thus downgrading the league. The Bennett move at Saint Mary’s triggered an internal promotion of Mickey McConnell in Moraga. The Gaels alumnus gets his first shot at 36 years old. Can he keep SMC at the top of the WCC?
The other high-major news from Monday was Creighton coach Greg McDermott’s impending retirement. One of the game’s best tacticians is walking away at 63. I’ve got that story and all the info here. No search there, though. Alan Huss agreed last year to be next up once McDermott was done, so that transition is already buttoned up and will be official after Creighton’s season ends in the Fox-run Crown event out in Las Vegas next week.
The first hiring of Monday came in the American, where CBS Sports broke the news that Wes Miller agreed to be the next coach at Charlotte on a five-year deal. Miller was fired from Cincinnati almost two weeks ago but let it be known he still wanted to coach and land somewhere as quickly as possible. Miller is from Charlotte, which made the hiring process even more logical. Miller and Cincinnati agreed to terms on his payout from Cincinnati last week; the school would have owed him $9.9 million if it did not formally fire him until April 1. Miller’s record in five seasons at Cincinnati was 100-74. Before that, he coached in North Carolina at UNCG, going 185-135. In his career, Miller’s won 57.7% of his games (285-209) across 15 seasons.
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G-Mac to 🍊
We’ve still got more to address! Gerry McNamara is now running the show at Syracuse. The school officially announced the hiring Tuesday morning.
The twist: Sources said Syracuse showed significant interest in other candidates, most prominently Saint Louis’ Josh Schertz, in the lead-up to the NCAA Tournament. SLU announced on March 13 it had agreed to terms of a new contract, but with the buyout being somewhat manageable, Syracuse pursued all options before landing on McNamara. One source said SU was still making a push on Schertz even after Saint Louis’ first round win over Georgia.
Though that never came to be, the fact Syracuse still looked at Schertz and other candidates falls in line with what sources previously told me: McNamara winning out comes after weeks of debate amongst big money players at Syracuse who were split over whether or not to break from the Syracuse family/Jim Boeheim coaching tree. McNamara is of course adored at Cuse, but some influential supporters of the program felt adamant that Syracuse needed to go in a new direction. Others favored keeping it in the family for at least one more try; McNamara was the obvious choice in that regard.
I’m told Syracuse is hopeful it can raise more than $9 million total in NIL budgeting for the 2026-27 season, with at least $4.5 million of that coming from revenue sharing. McMamara will have the support he needs to try and turn things around in central New York.
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Here are our some of our high-major carousel headlines in the past week-plus:
ARIZONA STATE | OUT: Bobby Hurley »» IN: Randy Bennett Hurley leaves with the second-most wins in program history. Credit to ASU athletic director Graham Rossini for landing the best possible replacement. Bennett was the target of multiple previous searches and turned down the job. Now he’s going to make a run in his 60s and see if he can get the Sun Devils to consistently compete in the top half of the Big 12. That’s a real jolt for this program. He’ll have to do more with less, which is no thing new after the wizard work he guided for 25 years at Saint Mary’s.
BUTLER | OUT: Thad Matta »» IN: Ronald Nored Matta retired after a four-year, 63-69 go of it with the Bulldogs. The news was all the more surprising considering that Butler athletic director Grant Leiendecker publicly said Matta would be back for a fifth season. Ultimately, it’s probably the right move. Nored was announced Wednesday and represents the latest hire in a link of Butler-family head-coaching moves. He’s young but he’s sharp. Can he bump them up in the Big East?
BOSTON COLLEGE | OUT: Earl Grant This one was expected for months. There are 79 jobs in the Power Five leagues, and Boston College, unfortunately and unquestionably, ranks in the bottom five. Grant couldn’t win there, but this is an institutional problem as much as anything else. Minimal fan support, bottom of the league in NIL capability, and the basketball there ranks below football and hockey in the priority order. Will take a very specific fit to even give the Eagles a shot at fighting into the middle of the ACC. UConn assistant Luke Murray and Vermont head coach John Becker are the two finalists. I was thinking we’d know by Wednesday, but maybe this drags on to the end of the week.
CINCINNATI | OUT: Wes Miller »» IN: Jerrod Calhoun The Bearcats had to make a change after going five straight seasons without an NCAA bid, even if Miller’s teams came close three times. Miller wound up doing just fine by shooting off to Charlotte. Jerrod Calhoun (Utah State) is an alum and was the top target from Day 1. Bearcats fans have some hope again, and fortunately for them, the program should be at or north of $8 million to spend on a roster for 2026-27. That’s not upper tier for this cycle, but it is manageable and can be competitive.
CREIGHTON | OUT: Greg McDermott »» IN: Alan Huss The 61-year-old McDermott leaves as the most accomplished coach in program history. In addition to overseeing Creighton’s valuable upgrade from the Missouri Valley to the Big East in the early 2010s, he coached 11 NCAA Tournament-level teams at Creighton and made two Sweet 16s (2021, 2024) along with an Elite Eight (2023). McDermott went 365-188 at Creighton, and when factoring in his time as coach at North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Iowa State, he’s at 645-383 with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Huss was at High Point a year ago and left because he agreed to be coach-in-waiting when McDermott stepped away.
G. TECH | OUT: Damon Stoudamire »» IN: Scott Cross Sources said the buyout for the 52-year-old Stoudamire was just $2.6 million, which made the decision that much easier after a 42-55 record in three seasons. This is a bottom-four job in the ACC (despite its terrific location) due to its lack of success over the past two decades, its relatively tough academic parameters and its limitations in NIL. Sources told me Tech will top out at $3.5 million in revenue sharing and maybe an additional $2 million after that. And yet, the 2026 portal market will likely mandate high-major teams to work with at least $6 million in order to be somewhat competitive. As was first reported here, Cross was the guy. The school made it official last Friday.
KANSAS STATE | OUT: Jerome Tang »» IN: Casey Alexander The first power conference job to hit the market in 2026, and it did so in a noisy fashion. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor fired Tang for cause on Feb. 15. University lawyers and Tang’s legal representation are in an ongoing legal dispute over the validity of a for-cause firing, which, if K-State were successful, would mean $0 owed to Tang. If fully unsuccessful, Tang has more than $18 million coming his way. I’m expecting a settlement with terms undisclosed. Alexander and K-State agreed to terms on March 12 after it was clear that Jerrod Calhoun wasn’t going to leave Utah State for Manhattan, Kansas.
PROVIDENCE | OUT: Kim English »» IN: Bryan Hodgson PC finished 15-18 this season, and English was unable to get the school to the NCAAs in three seasons on the job. Hodgson agreed to a five-year contract late Saturday night. The Friars will be well-stocked; sources said the program will be well north of $10 million in this year’s portal cycle, which will be critical as Hodgson is expected to turn over almost the entire roster. PC bringing on the soon-to-be 39-year-old is a personality fit. He doesn’t run from a battle and is a guy who loves to punch up. The Big East just got more interesting. Providence agreed to a five-year contract with Hodgson.
SYRACUSE | OUT: Adrian Autry »» IN: Gerry McNamara The Orange’s season finished with an 86-69 loss to SMU in the ACC Tournament; Syracuse was a 14-seed in the league bracket. Jim Boeheim’s successor leaves with a 49-48 record and no NCAA Tournament showings. Siena coach/SU alum McNamara became the top target after some other wish-list candidates wouldn’t got to the altar. Plus: Siena almost upset Duke in the first round. This is a pivotal hiring. As one Syracuse-connected source told me a few days ago: “If this hire doesn’t go well, [Syracuse] could become a one step above a mid-major.” The program’s outlook after Boeheim feels tenuous, though the fan base is passionate and thirsty to get back to relevance. McNamara has a huge task on his hands, but his love for the school is undeniable.
Mid-majors
AIR FORCE | OUT:Joe Scott »» IN: Joe Crispin Scott had two runs at Air Force, the first from 1999-2004, the second from 2020 until earlier this year, when Scott was put on leave in January amid an investigation into his treatment of players. That ultimately led to a severance between he and the school, though the two sides ended things amicably with kind words when the split was made official on Feb. 26. A military academy program in the Mountain West, Air Force easily ranks among the 10 toughest jobs in all of college hoops. Crispin, 46, will leave Penn State as an assistant to take on his first head coaching opportunity.
BALL STATE | OUT: Mike Lewis »» IN: Chris Capko The Cardinals had Lewis in charge for four seasons, but the last three were all under .500. With this year’s team going 12-19, rumors bubbled up in late January that the job would come up. Lewis, a former UCLA assistant under Mick Cronin, went 61-64 in the MAC. The team hasn’t made the NCAAs since 2000 under Ray McCallum. Capko comes aboard after years of working under Andy Enfield at USC and SMU.
BELMONT | OUT: Casey Alexander »» IN: Evan Bradds Alexander was anxious to leave after more than proving his value over the past seven seasons in Nashville. He tallied a 166-60 record with the Bruins, continuing the impressive legacy built out by his former coach and mentor Rick Byrd. Bradds spent this past season at Duke after cutting his teeth in the NBA with the Jazz and Celtics. He played at Belmont and graduated in 2017 after winning OVC POY. At 31, he’ll likely be the youngest D-I coach next season. Bradds played at Belmont from 2013-17 and was a terrific mid-major scorer, winning OVC Player of the Year as a junior and senior.
CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD | OUT: Rod Barnes »» IN: Todd Lee Barnes was fired last September after 14 years at Bakersfield, and the reason is jaw-dropping: One of his former assistants was federally charged for allegations of pimping, among other heinous illegal activities. There have also been changes in leadership in the athletic department and this is a cash-strapped job that’s extremely difficult. Lee, who’s coached for more than three decades, spent recent seasons on Eric Musselman’s staff but was also an assistant at Bakersfield in the ’90s.
CHARLESTON | OUT: Chris Mack A semi-stunner Wednesday afternoon, as Mack was announced as the next coach at South Florida. He leaves behind by far the best NIL situation (and living location) in the CAA. A premier job in a one-bid league just came open and a lot of people are going to be out for it.
CHARLOTTE | OUT: Aaron Fearne »» IN: Wes Miller The 49ers made the move after three years with Fearne, who went 17-17 this season and 47-51 overall. The school has some solid financial backing for NIL moving forward thanks to some investments by local billionaire Ric Elias. Miller lands on his feet in what’s a best-case scenario after not making it to Year 6 with Cincinnati. If he can be as effective at Charlotte as he was at UNCG for a decade, he should end the school’s two-decade-plus NCAA tourney drought. This feels like a proper bounce-back opportunity.
DARTMOUTH | OUT: Dave McLaughlin The school did not renew McLaughlin’s contract. The Big Green job is almost universally considered the toughest in the eight-school Ivy League, so picking a next coach will be difficult. McLaughlin came on in 2016 and was 87-161 with a 41-85 conference record.
EASTERN MICHIGAN | OUT: Stan Heath »» IN: Billy Donlon The Eagles are starting over after five years under Heath. EMU was 57-98 the last five seasons and only finished .500 once both overall and in the MAC (in 2024-25). The location is good for a MAC program (less than 15 minutes from Michigan‘s campus, in fact) but the resources are bottom half of the league. That will need to change. Donlon is an assistant at Clemson and has a 155-133 record at Wright State and Kansas City.
FIU | OUT: Jeremy Ballard »» IN: Joey Cantens Ballard was sacked after his eighth season on the job. The CUSA program had winning seasons in Ballard’s first two years but averaged 12 wins over the last six. Cantens came from behind to land the gig over some sitting high-major assistants. His teams went 109-21 in-state at Daytona State College in the D-II ranks. The 39-year-old is a local who grew up in Miami.
GEORGIA STATE | OUT: Jonas Hayes Hayes lasted four seasons and leaves Atlanta with a 48-79 record at the Sun Belt-based program. The school will still draw in some promising mid-major candidates because of its location and potential in that league.
KANSAS CITY | OUT: Marvin Menzies »» IN: Mark Turgeon A huge get for the Roos, who have pulled off a rarity: A school with zero NCAA Tournament appearances hired a coach with at least 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, at least 15 years of experience of high-major coaching and at least 450 wins. The only other instance of this that I can recall where that exact scenario applied is when High Point hired Tubby Smith in 2018, but he was an alum. Turgeon played at Kansas and therefore has some semi-local ties. He heads to the Summit League with a healthy boost in NIL support, determined not to let his rickety exit from Maryland in 2021 be the end of his story.
LAMAR | OUT: Alvin Brooks »» Jordan Fee Fee? Hit the Phish. Lamar is hiring the FAU assistant with a really good rep as an up-and-comer who’s had previous success at some non-D1 spots. Could be one of the best mid-major gets of this cycle. Brooks went 62-95 across five seasons in the Southland. This season’s team went 12-19 overall. The Cardinals last made the NCAA Tournament in 2012 under Pat Knight.
LITTLE ROCK | OUT: Darrell Walker »» IN: Travis Ford Walker’s team went 12-20 this season and finished seventh in the OVC. He leaves after eight seasons and with a 113-133 record. If you followed the tracker, you saw I had Ford’s name as the frontrunner basically from the start. The process was a little clunky and took a scenic route to getting there, but Little Rock brings on a guy with 20-plus seasons as a head coach and almost 500 wins. Ford was most recently at Saint Louis but also Oklahoma State and UMass prior to that.
UL MONROE | OUT: Phil Cunningham »» Ryan Cross A one-and-done in the Sun Belt. Cunningham was the head coach this past season after serving as an assistant the year prior. The team went 4-28, ranking 350th at KenPom. The bad record combined with the school switching ADs in the past five months led to the change. Cross is a former assistant (2012-20) who spent the past two seasons at UAB.
UTAH STATE | OUT: Jerrod Calhoun The Aggies will be holding a coaching search for the fifth time in five years. One name that should get strong consideration is Craig Smith. He was at Utah State from 2018-21 and won 74 games in three seasons, including 50-14 in the Mountain West and three total league titles. You could also see BYU’s Chris Burgess or Bobby Hurley try to get involved as well. The pool will be competitive. This is one of the best mid-major jobs in the country. Fascinated to see who’s next up in Logan.
NORTH FLORIDA | OUT:Matt Driscoll »» IN: Bobby Kennen This job had been open dating back to last May, when Driscoll left after 16 seasons to be Jerome Tang’s top assistant at Kansas State. Now Driscoll is wrapping up a disappointing season in Manhattan, Kansas, in the wake of Tang’s mid-February firing. At UNF, the Ospreys struggled under Kennen; the team went 7-24 this season. Nevertheless, he’s got the full-time gig. UNF’s been a D-I program for two decades, with its lone NCAA Tournament trip coming in 2015 under Driscoll.
N. ILLINOIS | OUT: Rashon Burno »» IN: Matt Majkrzak Burno bounced after five seasons, all of them under .500. This year’s team finished 9-21 and 319th at KenPom at the time of Burno’s (expected) resignation. He went 48-106 in one of the toughest jobs in the MAC. As was previously noted in this here capsule, Majkrzak was a leading candiate from the onset. The 35-year-old had a 136-73 in seven seasons at Northern Michigan in Division II.
OREGON STATE | OUT:Wayne Tinkle »» IN: Justin Joyner For Tinkle, the high point was the unexpected run to the Elite Eight in the 2021 COVID NCAA tourney, when the Beavers won three games as a 12-seed after earning the auto bid by winning the Pac-12 Tournament. Joyner is a fresh new face and represents and optimistic new start for the Beavers as the Pac-12 rebirth will commence later this year. Joyner is on a five-year contract and will try to compete in the league with the likes of Gonzaga, Boise State, San Diego State, Utah State.
PEPPERDINE | OUT: Ed Schilling Two-and-through for Schilling, who was a surprising hire in 2024. The Waves went 22-45 the past two seasons and won just eight games in the WCC. Pepperdine famously has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, but it’s also a school with strong religious ties and therefore will have specific criteria for its next coach. Cal Baptist coach Rick Croy could be a name to watch here, as are guys like Virginia assistant Griff Aldrich and Notre Dame assistant Kyle Getter.
SAN DIEGO | OUT: Steve Lavin »» IN: JR Blount The 61-year-old Lavin couldn’t bring the program to consistency in the Gonzaga-dominated WCC. USD has not made the NCAAs since 2008 under Bill Grier. Athletic director Kimya Massey moved even more quickly than most expected when he brought on Blount, who’s seen his reputation rise quickly the past two seasons at Iowa State. This was a competitive job opening. I highlighted Blount just last week in my names-to-know piece for this year’s carousel cycle. He’s considered among the sharpest young defensive minds in high-major hoops, but beyond that, he has an outstanding reputation for his dedication to the job.
SAINT MARY’S | OUT: Randy Bennett »» IN: Mickey McConnell After 25 years in Moraga, Bennett is finally taking a chance on himself and coaching at a power-conference program. He’s not yet signed but is closing in on a five-year deal to be the coach at Arizona State. The plan was always to promote from within at SMC; McConnell, 36, is one of the better players in program history and has been on staff since 2019.
SIENA | OUT: Gerry McNamara A one-ane-done year for McNamara, who had everything break just right in order for him to go back to Syracuse and try to restore the luster at a program facing an uncertain crossroads. McNamara’s Saints team nearly toppling 1-seed Duke in the tourney made his hiring that much easier to sell to a fan base that has loved him for 23 years and counting. Will Siena promote in-house or try to land a quality assistant from the high-major ranks?
TROY | OUT: Scott Cross After seven seasons, Cross leaves for Georgia Tech. The Trojans are coming off back-to-back tournament runs. The Sun Belt program is down to a few finalists, I’m told, including SEMO coach Brad Korn.
USF | OUT: Bryan Hodgson »» IN: Chris Mack With Hodgson’s expected move to Providence, USF will be the only team in the sport to have five coaches in a five-year span. In 2022-23, Brian Gregory was in charge and got fired. Amir Abdur-Rahim took over, revived the program, then tragically died in in October 2024, weeks before his second season was set to begin. Ben Fletcher was the interim in 2024-25 and then Hodgson got the job. Next up? Chris Mack. A stealth job switch from Charleston for the former Louisville and Xavier coach. He’ll be well-stocked to keep it rolling in Tampa.
ST. BONAVENTURE | OUT: Mark Schmidt Schmidt, 63, leaves the profession with a terrific reputation. Bonaventure is an extremely tough job, yet he won 339 games most in program history, and captured four combined conference titles. With Schmidt leaving, program GM and prominent former NBA national reporter Adrian Wojnarowski will work with school leadership to try and land a coach on the cheap who is about leaning into the challenges and culture of Bonaventure. I’ve been told that this job is going to be a significant pay cut from what Schmidt was making after 19 years and all the pay bumps that come with such a long tenure. Bona doesn’t have any revenue sharing and needs to fundraise all of its capital in order to try and field a roster that can compete in the A-10; Wojnarowski has a huge task ahead, to be sure. Two early names rumored for the job are both alums: Washington Wizards assistant David Vanterpool and D-II Daemen College coach Mike MacDonald, who’s done well at that level.
TARLETON STATE | OUT: Billy Gillispie »» IN: Eric Haut Gillispie oversaw Tarleton State’s transition into Division I, with the high point being a 25-10 season in 2023-24. The WAC-based school went 92-90 in six years at the D-I level under Gillispie. The university, based in Stephenville, Texas, is about 70 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Haut will join the program after Utah State finishes playing in the NCAA tourney. He’s been a valuable assistant at USU, Northern Kentucky and Kent State. Was due for a shot at running his own show.
TENNESSEE TECH | OUT: John Pelphrey »» IN: Tobin Anderson Pelphrey lasted seven years in the Ohio Valley and went 79–138 at what is obviously a very hard job with limited resources. TTU last won the regular-season title in the OVC in 2005, but it landed the best guy possible. Anderson famously coached FDU to a 16-over-1 upset of Purdue in the 2023 NCAAs. He potentially could’ve gotten a bigger job this cycle. Big coup for this school.
UNCG | OUT: Mike Jones »» IN: Jerod Haase Something of a surprise here, as Jones went 93-69 and didn’t get his contract extended. The Spartans went 15-19 this season, the only one of Jones’ five that didn’t end above .500. The job is considered in the top third in the SoCon. Haase got the job after two years away from coaching. He’s 206-180 at UAB and Stanford. The Carolina connection was big in getting him the gig.
UTRGV | OUT: Kahil Fennel Tough loss for the Vaqueros, who had Fennel for two seasons but did not have the resources to keep a quality up-and-coming coach around for Year 3. The Southland program will plumb the depths to see if they can land an assistant at a power conference school.
WAGNER | OUT: Donald Copeland (?) Wagner was coached by interim Dwan McMillan since the start of the season after Copeland was put on indefinite leave amid a school investigation into alleged abusive coaching tactics, including withholding water breaks during practice. One former player went on record with the New York Post last fall to confirm the allegations, but the school has yet to fire Copeland, who is still listed on the team’s website. The Seahawks went 14-17 and lost in the NEC semis to LIU.
WEBER STATE | OUT: Eric Duft We have a Brad Stevens-esque transition in the Big Sky. Duft has been with the program for two decades, but he’s not being fired. He’s going into the athletic department with a title of President of Basketball Operations and Development for the men’s basketball program. He’ll be working with Damian Lillard, who’s labeled as Weber State’s GM, to get the Wildcats to a better spot, roster-wise, for the net coach. Duft was the head coach the past four years.
WESTERN MICHIGAN | OUT: Dwayne Stephens »» IN: Kahil Fennel The former Michigan State assistant lasted four seasons in Kalamazoo, going 42-84. The Broncos came extremely close to ending Miami University’s undefeated run on Feb. 27 before falling in the final second 69-67. The school last made the NCAAs in 2014. Fennel, 43, arrives via UTRGV, where he went 35-29 the past two seasons. A pretty solid get at a place with enough to be a player in the MAC in the next two years.
Betting sign up offers and free bets are available from betting sites for signing up and betting online.
At The Independent, our experts have used their impartial and detailed analysis to find new and existing customers the best betting sign up offers and free bets on the market.
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Free bets can be claimed from betting sites by new and existing customers, allowing bettors to bet without risking their own money.
Terms and conditions are attached to free bets and betting offers. Usually, bettors must deposit or stake a qualifying amount to claim a free bet, which can be used on selected sports and events.
Wagering requirements can be attached to free bet offers, which means winnings must be played through a set number of times before you can withdraw funds as cash, but this is more common on casino sites.
Types of free bets
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Bet & Get: The most common betting sign-up offer, bet a minimum amount, meet the T&Cs and receive a free bet bonus.
Moneyback specials: Typically an ongoing free bet promo, whereby punters get their money back as a free bet if there’s an underwhelming outcome such as a 0-0 draw.
Free bet clubs: Loyalty reward schemes aimed at those who bet regularly with one bookmaker in particular.
Enhanced odds with free bet winnings: A bookmaker offers a wildly inflated price on a popular market, such as 40/1 on Man City to win, with winnings paid out as free bets.
No deposit free bets: These are rare, but can be obtained via free-to-play prediction games on several online bookmakers.
Free bets are straightforward to use for customers, although the way they can be deployed may differ depending on your chosen bookmaker.
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Bookmakers may require you to use free bets in precise portions, such as £5 or £10, while others will allow you to bet with amounts of your choosing until you’ve used up your balance.
Here are the latest betting sign up offers and free bets available for this week’s major sporting events.
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William Hill: Wales World Cup Epic Boost
William Hill are offering an Epic Boost price for Wales to qualify for the World Cup play-off final on Thursday.
Customers can claim the Epic Boost price of evens boosted from 2/5 for Wales to advance from their World Cup play-off semi-final clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Qualifying bets must be placed before kick-off and customers are limited to a maximum £10 stake.
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Paddy Power: Free Bet Builder Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland
Paddy Power are offering customers a free bet builder for users that place a qualifying bet builder on Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland on Thursday.
To qualify, customers must opt-in on the free bet offer before placing a £2 bet builder on the World Cup play-off clash with three selections or more and odds of evens or greater.
Once the qualifying bet has settled, customers will receive a free bet builder worth £2 to use on football. Free bet builder expires within seven days.
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Bet365: Bet Builder Boost 25% World Cup Playoffs
Bet365 are offering 25 per cent bet builder boosts on select games for tonight’s round of World Cup play-off matches.
Customers can claim the betting offer for matches including Italy vs Northern Ireland, Wales vs Bosnia-Herzegovina and Czech Republic vs Northern Ireland.
Qualifying bet builders must include three selections or more and odds of evens or greater, with users selecting the bet builder boost option in their bet slip.
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Winning bet builders will be paid out with the 25 per cent boost.
Betting Site
Offer Type
Min. Bet
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Free Bet Value
Best For
Coral
Welcome bonus
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£5
£30
Low-stake sign up value
Betano
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Welcome bonus
£10
£50
Football free bets
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Tote
Welcome bonus
£10
£30
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Horse racing free bets
Bet365
Moneyback special
£10
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£10
Ongoing money-back as free bet offers
Virgin Bet
Free Bet Club
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£20
£5 weekly
Ongoing rewards for regular bettors
Free bets value for money (Independent)
Here are the standout betting offers on the market for users broken down into strength of category.
Coral – Best low-stake betting sign up offer
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Coral offer the best low stake betting sign up offer allowing new customers to secure £30 in free bets after signing up and betting just £5 on any sports bet of their choice.
There’s plenty of flexibility over where users can place their qualifying bet. Customers can choose any sport with odds of 1/2 odds or greater, only Bet365 has a lower threshold among welcome offers, but their value is not as high as Coral’s.
Time is also on your side using Coral. Customers can take up to 14 days after sign up to make their first bet and still qualify for the betting sign up offer.
Coral rewards customers with £30 in free bets for betting just £5 online (The Independent)
Payout is also prompt as soon as your qualifying bet settles. Coral will credit your account with £30 in free bets within 24 hours. These free bets are paid out in 6 x £5 free bets, giving customers plenty of scope to use their funds.
These free bets are fairly flexible as 4 x £5 free bets available to use on any sport on Coral, while the remaining £10 free bet balance is reserved for 1 x £5 football bet builder and a 1x £5 horse racing bet builder.
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It’s arguaaly the best £5 deposit betting site around as customers secure a 600% return from their first deposit and bet. For first-time bettors it’s a perfect betting sign up offer for value.
Betano – Best football betting sign up offer
Betano is the best option for punters looking for free bets at leading football betting sites, with the Betano sign up offer providing £50 in free bets with an initial wager of just £10 (an excellent return for a low entry stake).
The offer includes a straightforward qualifying bet with minimum odds of evens and no accumulator required, while the 30-day expiry on free bets gives users flexibility, with plenty of time to use bonuses.
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Newcomers can get £50 in free bets after an initial £10 bet (iStock/The Independent)
This new betting site provides great variety on its football markets – from match odds and BTTS to goalscorers, correct scores and much more – and users will also find regular offers and promotions once signed up to the site.
Tote – Best for horse racing free bets
The Tote betting sign up offer is an excellent choice for horse racing fans, with a £10 bet returning £30 in racing value – a strong 3x reward for such a low qualifying stake.
The offer provides £20 in Tote Credit for horse racing – which is ideal for pools, exotics, and Tote-only markets – as well as £10 in free bets to use on the sportsbook, offering plenty of flexibility for new customers.
The Tote website performs equally well on mobile and desktop (iStock/The Independent)
The qualifying bet simply need to be a £10 wager on any sport (with some exclusions, though win, place, or pool bets all count) at odds of evens or greater, and winnings are fully withdrawable, with Tote Credit profits available to be cashed out, keeping risk low.
Tote also guarantee boosts payouts paid at SP or better, adding an extra upside for horse racing bettors and making Tote the best choice among horse racing betting sites.
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Bet365 – Best for moneyback as a free bet
Bet365 have recently launched its moneyback specials across a number of sports, including football and horse racing, as well as a range of major events.
Customers can wager up to £10 and will receive their stake back in free bets if their bet fails. The system is simple for claiming the betting offer, with users ticking the ‘Money Back As Free Bets’ box on their bet slip to qualify.
Free bets are usually credited within a matter of hours, but it can take up to 24 hours. Free bet credits can be used anywhere on one of the best betting sites in the business with no limit on where and how your credits can be spent.
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Bet365 customers can get up to £10 back as a free bet on losing racing and football bets (iStock/The Independent)
Bet365 moneyback specials are most common on football, and notably the Premier League where the highlight games of the week are covered with a moneyback special notably on Saturday and Sunday evenings, although Champions League and Europa League midweek games have also featured this betting offer.
The nuts and bolts of the requirements are as follows. Customers must place a qualifying bet builder on the eligible game or event, with bet builders needing only evens (2.0) or higher odds.
Bet365 also attaches its Sub Play On feature on football bet builders in conjunction with the moneyback special, which keeps bets alive even if a player is subbed.
Virgin Bet – Best free bet club
Existing customers can use the weekly Virgin Bet rewards club to claim £5 in free bets for placing qualifying accas.
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Users only need to opt-in on the promotion before placing four £5 accas with odds of 2/1 or greater between Monday to Sunday, making these qualifying stakes smaller than most rival free bet clubs.
Virgin Bet have an extremely low minimum odds requirement to use your free bet at 1/100.
Claim £5 in free bets for placing qualifying accas on Virgin Bet (iStock/The Independent)
You’re spoiled for choice, and better yet, there are no restrictions where you can use your bonus.
In addition, the seven-day expiry gives plenty of time to use the bonus, meaning the free bet club offers huge flexibility.
After the qualifying bets have settled, Virgin Bet pays out the £5 free acca bet into your account and to activate the free bet offer, simply use the toggle on your bet slip to use up the credits.
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Below, we’ve provided some detail on common traps that users can fall into when claiming free bets:
Stake not returned on free bets
Not all free bet offers return the original stake if your bet wins. For example, a £10 free bet at 3/1 pays £30 profit, not £40; always factor this in when comparing headline free bet amounts.
Short expiry windows
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Free bets usually expire within 5-7 days of being credited, and occasionally less. Unused free bets are removed automatically once they expire, so casual or infrequent bettors can lose value this way.
Remember to always check the expiry date as soon as the free bet is added.
Bet builder or market restrictions
Some free bets are limited to certain types of use. For example, some are football bet builders only, accumulator bets or bets fixed to specific sports, leagues or events. These restrictions reduce flexibility and can increase risk.
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Bet builder-only free bets often require multiple selections to win, meaning long odds, and it is the same with accas. Remember to check eligible markets before placing your qualifying bet.
Minimum odds requirements
Betting offers may require minimum odds on either the qualifying bet or the free bet itself, and sometimes both. Higher odds thresholds can push bettors toward riskier selections, while a smaller free bet with low odds requirements can offer better value.
Cash-Out and In-Play exclusions
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Remember that cashing out a qualifying bet often voids eligibility for the offer. Some free bets also cannot be used on in-play markets.
These exclusions are commonly hidden in the T&Cs, so avoid cashing out unless you’re sure it won’t affect the promotion.
Wagering requirements and bonus conditions
Wagering is uncommon on free bets, but it is not unheard of. Some promotions attach extra conditions to winnings or follow-on bonuses instead.
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Offers requiring winnings to be wagered multiple times reduce real value, while simpler “bet and get” free bets are usually the safest option.
Before a bookmaker makes our list of free bet offers, they must meet key criteria to ensure a high-quality betting experience.
1. Licensing
Only sites with a valid UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence are considered on our list of recommended operators.
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The UKGC ensures fair play and consumer protection, working alongside independent testing agencies like eCOGRA. If a bookmaker isn’t regulated, it’s not safe – anyone can verify a licence via the UKGC register.
2. Security
Every bookmaker we recommend must implement high-quality security measures such as SSL encryption and two-factor authentication to protect customer data.
3. Reputation
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Reputation also plays a role – established brands like Betfred, William Hill and Bet365 consistently rank highly with us, but we also highlight new, reputable operators such as BetMGM when their free bet offers meet our expectations.
4. Mobile
With most bets now placed on phones and tablets, mobile betting functionality is essential.
Bookmakers with dedicated betting apps that mirror the desktop experience are given preference, and we also consider user app reviews from the Apple and Google Play stores.
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5. Experience
The customer experience is equally crucial – we rigorously test bookmaker support channels, favouring those that provide fast, effective resolutions.
Ultimately, our rankings focus on the quality of the free bet offers, but we also take into account matters including odds restrictions, timeframe to both unlock free bet offers and use your bonus funds, wagering requirements and available payment methods.
6. Value
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Operators that provide valuable betting sign up offers, competitive terms, and ongoing free bet promotions for returning customers get the highest ratings.
Why trust us?
Chris Wilson is a betting content producer and sports reporter who has been working at The Independent since 2023.
He writes betting tips across a range of sporting events as well as reviewing dozens of betting sites and casino sites across the UK.
Chris has extensively tested and reviewed offers from established operators and new betting sites to find the best free bet offers for readers of The Independent.
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Responsible gambling is always at the forefront of his research, ensuring customers have a fair and secure experience claiming and using betting offers online.
If you decide to engage with any of the online betting sites highlighted on this page, remember to gamble responsibly, even when using free bets and betting sign up offers.
When betting, always assume you’ll lose and therefore, only bet what you can afford to lose. Even free bets still involve a level of risk.
Make sure you use the responsible gambling tools offered by betting companies such as deposit limits, reality checks, loss limits and time outs. These can stop gambling from getting out of hand.
If you have gambling-related concerns, then seek independent help. There are several UK charities and institutions that offer support, advice and information, with a few listed below:
Are free bets withdrawable?
No, it is not possible to withdraw a free bet. It must be used according to the terms and conditions of the free bet offer or it will be forfeited.
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Can you cash out free bets?
In most cases, bookmakers will not allow punters to cash out a free bet before the bet has run its course, so you will likely have to wait for your bet to settle before receiving any winnings.
What does money back in free bets mean?
This means you can get a refund on your stake, but not as withdrawable cash – only as a free bet, meaning you have to stake the same cash again on a different bet.
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What is the best betting sign up offer available now?
In the Independent’s view, Coral provides the best betting sign up offer on the market at present. New customers need only sign up and deposit £5 before betting £5 on any sports market with odds of 1/2 or greater to unlock £30 in free bets.
What betting sites give free bets without a deposit?
Few bookmakers hand out free bets for nothing, but you can earn free bets by entering free-to-play prediction games on Bet365, BetVictor, NetBet, Betway, Betfred, Ladbrokes, Coral and BetMGM.
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We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Atlanta United FC owner Arthur Blank has named longtime Mexican Football Federation executive Mauricio Culebro to be president of the United of MLS as well as Blank’s NWSL franchise which debuts in 2028.
“This is an exciting day as we welcome Mauricio to Atlanta and our family of businesses,” Blank said in a statement released through his AMB Sports and Entertainment, which includes among its properties the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Atlanta Drive of the TGL indoor golf league, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“As we progressed through the search process, Mauricio’s impressive experience and clear vision to elevate our clubs made him an outstanding fit to lead Atlanta United and NWSL Atlanta 2028.”
Culebro has spent five years as president of Tigres UANL and has also been chief operating officer of the Mexican Football Federation.
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Blank said that though Culebro is new to MLS, he is no stranger to “building and operating successful global soccer clubs,” adding that he is “fully confident in his ability to help return Atlanta United to the level our fans deserve, while leading the launch of our NWSL club.”
Culebro also led Mexico’s planning for its role in hosting the upcoming World Cup this summer.
“It is an honor to join AMBSE’s highly successful leadership team and become part of an organization with such a strong culture and foundation already in place,” Culebro said. “I am excited to put my experience, passion and commitment at the service of Atlanta United and NWSL Atlanta 2028, working alongside a great team to build long-term projects our fans can feel proud of — teams that truly represent the passion, energy and ambition of this city.”
Northampton Saints will treat playing Saracens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as if it was a cup final, according to prop Manny Iyogun.
Saturday’s Prem fixture will be the second part of a women and men’s double header, titled Showdown VI, at the 62,850-capacity stadium.
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Last week Saracens reported that 40,000 tickets had already been sold for an event which will also see Dizzee Rascal perform live between the two games.
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“It’s got a bit of a finals vibe to it and games like this prep you for finals in knockout rugby and that’s exactly how we’re approaching it,” Iyogun told BBC Radio Northampton’s Saints Show.
Saints are two points clear at the top of the Prem table following their narrow, below-their-best win over Newcastle Red Bulls – and have already beaten Saracens twice this season in league and cup.
Sarries, meanwhile, returned to Prem action last Friday with a heavy 62-point defeat at Bath, leaving them in sixth place, eight points outside the play-off spots.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was opened in 2019 [Getty Images]
Iyogun’s team-mate Tom Lockett believes they will be playing at the “best new stadium in the UK”.
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“To get a chance to play in it is pretty cool, something we’re all pretty excited for but ultimately we’ve still got to perform as if it’s the Gardens or any stadium,” second row Lockett said.
“We’ll go down on Friday and get a feel for the stadium and then hopefully put that to the back of our mind and go and do the job.
“We’ve got better at that over the years, playing in big environments and finding out what works and what doesn’t work and how we get back on script when things aren’t going to plan.
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“Obviously we want to be involved in as many big games as possible so it can only be a good thing [to play there].”
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England lock Alex Coles could again be absent because of injury suffered on Six Nations duty so 23-year-old Lockett may again inherit the key role as line-out routines caller.
“Colesy is huge for us not only in terms of how he plays but also how he leads that line-out area,” Lockett added.
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“I’ve taken so much from him over the past five or six years. I like to think I’m in a good position now where I’ve got enough experience to take that mantle from him.”
Asked how many different routines Saints have, he replied: “It’s basically a language and you have to be fluent in that language to know all the different moves you could run.
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“If you put a number on it, it would be well into the thousands. Colesy’s coming up with new stuff all the time.”
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So, are there any Tottenham supporters in the Saints dressing room? Not according to Iyogun.
“It’s a very tough time [to be a Spurs fan] and playing at Tottenham probably wouldn’t be the best experience [if you were],” he said.
“I’m Chelsea fan so me and [strength and conditioning coach] Tommy Buller – he’s a Man City fan – have a bit of a natter about it. There’s a lot of football fans, Colesy’s an Arsenal fan, so there’s a bit of rivalry.”
Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube said on Thursday that his train journey back home after winning the T20 World Cup 2026 with his family was exciting but also quite tough, as he had to take extra precautions to avoid being recognised. Dube had to take an unusual route to get back home from Ahmedabad after the historic win. Unlike most Indian cricketers who travel by chartered or private flights, he couldn’t find any available flights from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, as they were fully booked. So, he decided to travel by train in a 3rd AC coach. Even though there was a risk of being recognised by fans, he felt it was the quickest option. In a video shared by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on X, Dube explained how he managed to avoid attention.
“It was quite tough. We took the train around 5 a.m., and there were many people. But since it was right after the World Cup, no one expected me to be there. I went to the top berth and slept for some time. We slept around 5:30 and woke up at 10:30,” he said.
Dube also shared that he had travelled by train in a similar way last year during a BPCL tournament in Baroda.
“I had done this before as well, wearing a mask. Last year, before the IPL, I travelled by train from a BPCL tournament in Baroda because I wanted to reach home early. I was sleeping on my berth, and there were a few friends with me,” he added.
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Sanju Samson, who was also part of the World Cup-winning team, will join Dube at Chennai Super Kings for the first time. Dube said Samson had asked him about the atmosphere in Chennai, and he replied, “You’ll love it. It will feel like home. There’s no pressure—you can just focus on your practice and training.”
Dube is expected to play an important role for CSK in IPL 2026. The five-time champions will begin their campaign on March 30 against the Rajasthan Royals at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year.
PARIVISION and Xtreme Gaming pulled off clutch wins on the final day of group-stage competition on Wednesday to advance into the playoffs of the ESL One Birmingham event in England.
The teams entered the day in sixth and eighth place, respectively, in Group A and Group B. PARIVISION secured its second win over Yakult Brothers and then won a pair of one-off tiebreakers over GamerLegion and BetBoom to clinch the fourth spot.
In other Group A action before the tiebreakers, BetBoom beat GamerLegion while Team Yandex and Tundra Esports locked down the top two spots in the group with wins over MOUZ and REKONIX. MOUZ still finished in third place and advanced despite the loss.
Xtreme Gaming used a win over OG — its first of the competition — and losses by three other teams ahead of them to jump up four spots into fourth place in Group B. The losses they needed were Aurora Gaming beating paiN Gaming, Team Spirit beating Nigma Galaxy and Team Falcons beating Virtus.pro. Aurora Gaming and Team Spirit claimed the top two spots in Group B with Team Falcons claiming third.
The $1 million Dota 2 tournament, featuring 16 teams, will award $750,000 in prize money and $250,000 in club rewards as well as 35,460 ESL Pro Tour points spread among all participants.
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The top two teams from each group advanced to the upper bracket of the playoffs. The third- and fourth-place teams were delegated to the lower-bracket playoffs, with the remaining eight teams eliminated after Wednesday’s competition.
The playoffs will be contested Thursday through Sunday with a double-elimination bracket. All matches are best-of-three except for the grand final, which is best-of-five.
In Wednesday action, PARIVISION completed its win of Yakult Brothers with a 32-minute win on green followed by a 42-minute victory on red. Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov of Russia led the win with a 21-2-20 kill-death-assist ratio. Malaysia’s Daniel “Ghost” Chan led Yakult Brothers with a 7-8-6 K-D-A.
Yandex clinched the top spot with its 2-0 win over MOUZ, winning in 32 minutes and 31 minutes on green. Kazakhstan’s Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov led the win with an impressive 22-1-13 K-D-A, while Dutch competitor Remco “Crystallis” Arets led MOUZ with a 10-12-6 ratio.
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Tundra locked up the second spot with a pair of 29-minute victories on red followed by on green. Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov led the win with a 19-3-27 ratio, and Saieful “Fbz” Ilham of Indonesia led REKONIX with a 4-11-8 K-D-A.
BetBoom Team’s 2-0 win over GamerLegion in 45 minutes and 58 minutes on green made the Group A tiebreaker a necessity. Ilya “Kiritych” Ulyanov of Russia posted a 21-6-35 K-D-A for BetBoom, beating out Edmond Dantes’ 11-16-24 ratio for GamerLegion.
PARIVISION won the first tiebreaker over GamerLegion in 45 minutes on green and followed with a 51-minute triumph on red over BetBoom. Gallyamov led the team with an 8-8-19 ratio in the two tiebreakers.
In Group B action, Xtreme Gaming did its part to advance with 41-minute and 39-minute wins on green to beat OG. Wang “Ame” Chunyu of China led the effort by totaling 11-2-30 against a 5-12-9 ratio for OG’s John “Natsumi-” Vargas from the Philippines.
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Team Spirit beat Nigma Galaxy in 35 minutes on green and 49 minutes on red. Russia’s Denis “Larl” Sigitov led the win with a 17-2-27 K-D-A, while Tony “No!ob” Assaf of Lebanon led Nigma with a 14-11-13 ratio.
Team Falcons closed out the group stage with a 46-minute win on green followed by a 45-minute win on red over Virtus.pro. A 22-6-21 showing from Jordan’s Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf led the way for Falcons against Abed “Abed” Yusop’s 18-6-18 ratio for Virtus.
Aurora Gaming finished atop the group with a 50-minute red victory followed by a 30-minute green beatdown of paiN. Egor “Nightfall” Grigorenko of Russia put up a 19-3-20 K-D-A to lead Aurora. Maximo “Wits” Orozco Alza led the Peruvian paiN squad with a 8-9-10 ratio.
Thursday schedule
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Upper-bracket semifinals
Team Yandex vs. Team Spirit
Aurora Gaming vs. Tundra Esports
ESL One Birmingham standings
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Position, Team, Match W-L (Maps W-L)
Group A
1. Team Yandex, 5-0-2 (12-2)
2. Tundra Esports, 4-0-3 (11-3)
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3. MOUZ, 4-3-0 (8-6)
4. PARIVISION, 2-3-2 (6-8)
5. GamerLegion, 2-3-2 (6-8)
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6. BetBoom, 2-3-2 (6-8)
7. Yakult Brothers, 1-3-3 (5-9)
8. REKONIX, 0-5-2 (2-12)
Group B
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1. Aurora Gaming, 6-0-1 (13-1)
2. Team Spirit, 5-1-1 (11-3)
3. Team Falcons, 3-1-3 (9-5)
4. Xtreme Gaming, 1-2-4 (6-8)
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5. Virtus.pro, 1-3-3 (5-9)
6. paiN Gaming, 0-3-4 (4-10)
7. OG, 0-3-4 (4-10)
8. Nigma Galaxy, 0-3-4 (4-10)
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ESL One Birmingham prize pool (prize money, club reward)
Harry Maguire was stepping onto a late afternoon flight to Bournemouth with his Manchester United teammates when a WhatsApp message pinged his phone. It was the England manager, Thomas Tuchel, asking if they could talk that evening.
Butterflies fluttered. Maguire hadn’t played for England for nearly two years, since he appeared in a Nations League game against Ireland in 2024. He had never played for Tuchel and there had been very little contact from the manager since he took the job last January. “I knew if I missed this camp, I don’t think I would have been back in the England setup,” Maguire admitted.
The defender has endured a mixed season. He struggled for form and fitness under Ruben Amorim and felt inhibited by the manager’s beloved back-three formation. But a run of games in Michael Carrick’s transformed United side have kindled faint hopes of playing in a third World Cup, at the age of 33.
Sitting on the plane, Maguire turned to fellow England prospect Kobbie Mainoo. “I asked Kobbie if he’d got a text as well and he said, ‘yeah’,” Maguire smiles. That offered some reassurance and, two hours later, Tuchel rang to confirm he was finally back in the England squad for World Cup warm-up games against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley.
Maguire rang round his family to share the news. His mum cried, though she was on holiday in Spain at the time and he suggests the tears may have been helped along by a few Sangrias. “It felt a bit like my first call-up,” he says. “I’ve played 60-odd games for England and been to three major tournaments, but when you’re playing every game, you don’t want to take it for granted, but you get comfortable with the setup. And then when it’s taken away from you all of a sudden, it hurts.”
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Harry Maguire in training for England at St George’s Park (The FA via Getty Images)
Maguire is speaking in a quiet room at England’s second home, St George’s Park, in Burton-upon-Trent, back where he feels he belongs. He spent seven years as a mainstay under Gareth Southgate, first on the left side of a back three and later in a pairing with John Stones. Over the past two years he had to get used to watching England as a fan again, taking his career full circle, back to when he was a Hull City player travelling around France with friends watching Euro 2016 from the stands.
“It did hurt [to watch England] but I still wanted them to win,” he says. “I have a lot of friends here. There are times when you feel like you should be in the squad and then that probably hurts a little bit more, but the last three camps I wasn’t fit, I wasn’t playing every game for Manchester United, I was in and out, I was playing three games and getting injured. When you don’t build up that rhythm, you don’t really have an excuse.
“It hurt more when I watched them in the final against Spain, losing that game [Euro 2024 final].”
Away from England, Maguire focused on performing for his club. He enjoyed working with Amorim but felt the central role in a back three limited his best attributes, consigned to be a sweeper when he wanted to roam and charge and challenge opponents physically. His freedom to carry the ball upfield was clipped, and it all added to the narrative that he was a fading force.
“When you’re playing in a back five and you’re playing that middle one, automatically people think you’re a little bit older and can’t move as much. I’ve always said I much prefer playing in a back four. I feel like I can play more aggressive, play more on the front foot and I feel like that’s a big part of my game.”
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Harry Maguire’s club form has put him back in the picture for England (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Amorim will be a great manager, Maguire insists. It just didn’t click. “I really like Ruben, I think he’s got great ideas. Those ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United. I do believe he’ll go on and have an amazing career. At his next club he’ll probably go and win many, many football matches.”
Carrick’s reign has been transformational. Maguire has enjoyed the freedom of a back four as United have climbed the table to third, in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League with seven games to go. Surely the players want him to stay beyond the summer?
“Listen, Carrick coming in, he’s been amazing. He speaks really, really well. He’s tactically very, very good. He’s brought in some amazing staff, [such as] Steve Holland. [But] it’s not up to us. I think we’ve got to finish the season strong, and then I think he should go right into the mix with the other candidates.
“It’s going to be a big summer. We know that for Manchester United. We need bodies in to help the squad. It’s going to be a big recruitment in the management department, and I’m sure the hierarchy will get it right.”
Maguire has stayed fit and found form in recent weeks, ironically right up until Tuchel’s phone call. The next night he scored a goal at Bournemouth, but was sent off as United settled for a draw – “a harsh” red card, he says.
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Maguire is competing for a place on the plane to North America (The FA via Getty Images)
A one-game suspension means he won’t play for United again until 18 April at the earliest, when they travel to Chelsea. That time off will at least offer a window to speak to the club about his future, with his contract expiring at the end of the season. Maguire wants to stay, and the way he talks suggests that something might almost be agreed.
“What that agreement is, I’m sure you’ll find out over the next few weeks,” he says. “I think it’ll get sorted sooner rather than later, whether I stay or leave. I love this club, but it’s got to be right for myself, it’s got to be right for the club as well. I don’t want to be staying on a sentimental value. I want to be staying because I want to be there and the club want me to drive the club forward still, and they feel like I’ve got a big part to play in it.
“[I want to be] playing games and helping the team on and off the pitch. I want to be important to the club. So we need to sit down and speak – and I’ve got a long time off now with the red card.”
Only three months ago, Maguire’s international and club careers appeared to be in their winter days. Suddenly they are in full bloom again. He never gave up hope of travelling to North America to experience one more World Cup as a player, rather than a fan, when summer comes around. “I kept it free, just in case.”
Mar 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts after the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Detroit Pistons had their four-game winning streak snapped by the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. They’ll look to start a new one when they host the lowly New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
Detroit dropped a 130-129 overtime thriller at home to the Hawks. Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren both missed shots in the final three seconds that would have extended the streak.
It was their first loss since star guard Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung. Cunningham will miss his fifth straight contest on Thursday.
Detroit trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half, then climbed back by scoring the first 16 points of the second half.
“Didn’t like the way that we dug a hole in the first half, but to be able to have the conversation at halftime and come out and play the way that we did in the third quarter, fourth quarter, again, is a credit to the guys,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Obviously, we came up a point short, a bucket short. But most teams don’t even get themselves in that position. Most guys, most teams don’t even have the fortitude to dig down, collect themselves, pick themselves up off the mat, so to speak, and go out there and do what our guys did. So, no moral victories, but (I’m) proud of our guys’ effort.”
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Duren, the team’s other All-Star along with Cunningham, led the way on Wednesday with 26 points and 14 rebounds.
“He’s just everywhere,” forward Ausar Thompson said. “He’s blocking shots, he’s rebounding and then he’s sprinting the floor on the offensive end and getting us easy buckets, easy steals. So, he does a lot.”
Detroit is wrapping up a four-game homestand vs. New Orleans. The Pistons (52-20), who are looking to protect their four-game lead over the Boston Celtics and lock up the top seed in the Eastern Conference, play six of their remaining nine regular-season games on the road after Thursday’s contest.
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The Pelicans (25-48) have lost their last two games while putting up a good fight against two other Eastern Conference contenders. They lost at home to Cleveland 111-106 on Saturday, then began a three-game road trip with a 121-116 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Zion Williamson led them in scoring both contests, including a 22-point outing on Tuesday. Williamson is shooting 67.7% from the field this month.
“He kept us in the game,” Pelicans’ interim head coach James Borrego said of the game against the Knicks. “You felt his physicality from the first moment. He does that for us. He gives us our paint pressure, our physicality, our energy. I thought he was phenomenal.”
Dejounte Murray was held to seven points — his lowest output since returning late last month from an Achilles tear — but he recorded a season-high 12 assists.
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New Orleans had won five of six games prior to the last two losses.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Borrego said. “This group is playing at a high level.”
The Pelicans haven’t had much success on the road, going 9-26.
“Our defense has to travel with us,” Borrego said. “To be a good road team, you have to take your defense on the road.”
Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko will captain Bosnia-Herzegovina against Wales in their World Cup play-off semi-final
As Wales prepare to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their World Cup play-off semi-final, the visitors’ captain Edin Dzeko is set to fight for what is likely his last opportunity to compete in a major tournament. The veteran’s life hasn’t been without incident since he left Manchester City – and a run-in with Andre Onana is just part of the picture.
Dzeko, 40, will lead his nation at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday evening as he returns to the UK. However, earlier in the qualifying campaign, he risked upsetting his country’s FA with strong remarks about fan access.
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Ahead of a November double-header against Romania and Austria, Bosnia were aware that two victories could secure direct qualification, whilst a solid performance would guarantee a play-off position. But controversy arose prior to the home match against Romania due to two fan groups being unable to buy tickets for the game in Zenica.
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BHFanaticos and Ljuti Krajišnica were both prevented from purchasing tickets by the country’s FA, prompting Dzeko to intervene and demand the decision be overturned. “On behalf of my teammates and on my own behalf, I DEMAND the Federation to reconsider its decision and, as before, to provide tickets for fan groups that have been cheering on the BiH national team for years!” he posted on social media.
“With loyal fan support from the stands, which we really need at this important moment for the national team, the players will do their best on the field to achieve a favourable result! We are all going to defend the colours of our homeland on our front.”
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When the match against Romania kicked off, over 11,000 fans were present at the 15,000-capacity Bilino Polje Stadium. However, by half-time, a goal from Daniel Birligea had put the visitors ahead, leaving Dzeko and his colleagues with a task on their hands.
The captain led from the front, equalising less than five minutes into the second half. Esmir Bajraktarevic then put Bosnia-Herzegovina ahead with just 11 minutes left, but the points weren’t secured until Haris Tabakovic added a clincher at the death.
Tabakovic scored again in the final group match in Vienna, putting Sergej Barbarez’s team on the brink of a World Cup spot. However, a second-half equaliser from Michael Gregoritsch meant Austria progressed as group winners and left Bosnia-Herzegovina needing to come through a match against Wales and a potential play-off final against Italy or Northern Ireland.
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Dzeko was part of the squad in 2014, the only previous occasion the country have qualified for a World Cup. Sead Kolasinac is the only other member of that group who is in the squad to face Wales on Thursday.
The striker, who was a Premier League champion with City in 2012 and 2014, spent ten years in Italy and Turkey after departing the Etihad Stadium. He transferred to his current club Schalke in January and has netted six goals in eight matches for the 2. Bundesliga leaders.
A stint at Inter Milan was among the highlights of his post-City club career. He was part of the team which reached the Champions League final in 2023 but had a much-publicised falling out with team-mate Andre Onana along the way.
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Onana, who would later leave Inter for Manchester United, was seen screaming at Dzeko and telling him to shut up during a round of 16 victory over Porto. Colleague Hakan Calhanoglu felt compelled to step in but the goalkeeper played down the incident after the 1-0 win.
“These things happen in the game, everyone has a right to think what they want,” Onana told Sky Sport Italia. “If the adrenaline that makes us angry also helps us to win games the way we did tonight, then it’s welcome!”
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL
Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour with a quiet T56 at the Farmers Insurance Open, but there was more to that performance under the surface. If you looked past the fanfare of his triumphant return, you could see it.
That week at Torrey Pines, Koepka lost over seven shots on the greens while finishing positive in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Approach and Around the Greens. He made a putter switch after the missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open, and his game has started to round into form ever since, with Koepka going T9-T13-T18 through the Florida Swing. He ranked third in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach last week at the Valspar and is ranked first in that category on the PGA Tour on the season, gaining 1.089 strokes on approach per round.
Koepka said he diagnosed a problem with his driver ahead of this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open that likely “cost him six or seven shots” last week. (He finished seven shots behind eventual winner Matt Fitzpatrick.)
That subtle I could’ve won reference is reminiscent of the Brooks Koepka who once said he believed majors are easier to win than normal PGA Tour events. (He won that week.)
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Koepka arrives at Memorial Park Golf Course this week with the look and feel of the Koepka of old, the one who crushed major fields with exacting, boring golf. That Koepka is starting to show with the Masters on the horizon because the game that won him five majors, the one that has been missing since his 2023 PGA Championship win, well, Koepka feels it has finally returned.
“I do feel like it is ready,” Koepka said Wednesday when asked if his game was in condition for Augusta National. “Everything’s trending in a nice direction. Ball-striking feels really, really good. Pete [Cowen’s] done a phenomenal job just getting everything where it needs to be. Yeah, the putting was a huge thing. I feel like it’s been so different because I was putting so terribly, I felt like I had to birdie the hole almost from the fairway or from the tee box.
“Where now I can sit back and kind of play golf how I used to play in ’17, ’19, kind of in that run when I was playing very good where I can be very patient and just kind of wait my time. … I used to just kind of — it felt very boring, just hit the center of the greens and occasionally you push and pull one kind of right on the flag. I always think — I said it was like conservatively aggressive.”
The arrow has been trending up for Koepka ever since he made his return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf at the end of January, but there’s one thing that’s missing as he looks to peak at Augusta National in two weeks: Koepka hasn’t been in the cauldron on the weekend yet during his PGA Tour rebirth.
He believes his game is back to the level that saw him suffocate major championship fields with ease, but he won’t know that for sure until he tests it under pressure. That’s the goal this week in Houston as Koepka starts to fully shift his focus to the Masters and his hunt for major No. 6.
“The only thing is I really haven’t put myself in contention with nine holes to go,” Koepka said. “That’s really the last missing piece that I feel like I need to accomplish here before Augusta. I just need to get the juices flowing of having a chance to win a golf tournament. It’s been a while. Didn’t win last year. I just need to be able to put myself and get those feelings again. And especially out here, competing against unbelievable players on a difficult golf course would be what I need to do for the final prep for Augusta.”
A few weeks ago at the Players Championship, Koepka acknowledged that TPC Sawgrass serves as a barometer for where your game is at heading into the start of the major season. It’s a difficult test on a course where carnage lurks around every bend. Solve it, and you head toward the Masters feeling confident in your prospects. But fail the PGA Tour’s flagship test, and you have very little time to find answers before you drive down Magnolia Lane.
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“This is kind of right where I feel like you needed to know where your game was at,” Koepka said at TPC Sawgrass. “Every time you come to the Players, you get a good idea of, hey, you’ve got a couple more weeks right before Augusta; if you’ve got to make any changes, this is where it needs to happen. This is kind of, in my eyes, the kickoff of the real heat of the golf season. And it’s a lot of fun, it’s exciting, and just need to be on top of things.”
He finished in a tie for 13th, picked up almost seven shots on approach, which ranked fourth in the field and would have been a real weekend factor if not for a three-hole blowup during Friday’s second round. Koepka followed that with another solid week at the Valspar that an overly spinny driver apparently derailed, and now arrives at his final Masters tune-up finally sounding like the swaggering, major-beating Koepka of old.
“I love the way I’m playing,” Koepka said. “Just want to put myself in contention here for the first time before Augusta. My game is rounding into form. I can see it. I don’t know if maybe results-wise, it probably hasn’t looked that way, but I can see it as a whole, it’s really all starting to come together.”
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That’s something no one hoping to add a green jacket to their closet in two weeks wants to hear.
;)
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