The 2026 World Cup is about to kick-off, and that means we are about to bear witness to the greatest array of international football shirts ever seen.
For the first time, 48 nations will take part in the men’s tournament, so we have reviewed every home and away shirt to make a 96-strong list of sartorial delights and disappointments in North America this summer.
It has been another strong showing from Adidas and Puma, while the good people at Jako deliver a surprise entrant into our top 10.
Why are Ghana wearing a spider web? What is that on Haiti’s hip? Why have Croatia made us angry? And which kit has won our highly coveted top spot? Please do tell us where we’ve gone badly wrong in the comments below.
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So, from worst to best, from the visually upsetting to the optically arousing, here are our World Cup 2026 kit rankings.
96. South Korea home: We have to start somewhere, and we’re starting with this ugly pattern. Are they hills, volcanoes, clouds? Over to Nike, who explain: “The head-to-toe camo print embodies an ambush of tigers striking together at any moment.” No it doesn’t.
96. South Korea home (Nike)
95. Switzerland away: It’s like a toddler wielding a highlighter pen got hold of the designs of an otherwise acceptable shirt. This is fine for goalkeepers, but otherwise, no thanks. Although as always with Switzerland, the crest is a big plus.
95. Switzerland away (Puma)
94. Australia away: A very bold fade from pink to green, and we’re not having it.
94. Australia away (Nike)
93. Argentina away: Garish, in a bad way.
93. Argentina away (Adidas)
92. Paraguay home: Torn over whether this is a child’s crayon drawing or just a great shirt, and after much deliberation we’ve come down on the side of nursery artwork. Which, as we all know, goes straight in the bin.
92. Paraguay home (Puma)
91. Bosnia and Herzegovina home: Welcome to the game, Kelme. And what have we got here? Two bold blue lines over the top of a dragon motif? That’s… that’s not a great start.
91. Bosnia and Herzegovina home (Kelme)
90. Croatia home: This is the only shirt on the list that makes us angry. Croatia is a great kit that doesn’t need reimagining, yet every tournament it gets fiddled! This time, someone at Nike has etch-a-sketched out the middle of a very attractive, near perfect Croatia shirt. And we’re unhappy about it.
90. Croatia home (Nike)
89. Netherlands home: The Dutch shirt should not be hard to get right but the fluorescent edge to this one is too much. The big central crest looks a bit village too.
89. Netherlands home (Nike)
88. Japan home: Probably a bit harsh to place this 88th in a list of 96 shirts. But it’s a bit odd, and it’s here now.
88. Japan home (Adidas)
87. Cape Verde away: A bit bland. Like eating dry toast. These lads flew to the World Cup signing and dancing on the plane. They deserve more.
87. Cape Verde away (Tempo)
86. Ghana home: Sorry, Ghana. We’ve really tried to love this shirt. We’ve tried turning it around, upside down. We’ve squinted at it. We’ve read about the mythical spider in Ghanaian folklore it is meant to invoke. But ultimately, it is a bit of a mess.
(Puma)
85. Uruguay away: Sorry but that’s a USA shirt and we won’t be taking any questions on the matter.
85. Uruguay away (Nike)
84. England away: The central crest gives it a slight Pro-Evo feel, which is not a good thing, and the background is a bit… weird.
84. England away (Nike)
83. DR Congo away: Colour fades generally don’t work but this one is not bad, although it’s less DR Congo and more San Marino. Side point: it’s not dissimilar to the home colour, and being dissimilar really is the raison d’etre of any away shirt.
83. DR Congo away (Umbro)
82. France home: The lighter blue French shirts will always be better, and the zig-zag background is a bit much.
82. France home (Nike)
81. Mexico away: Not colourful enough to feel Mexican – it seems like something Germany should be wearing.
81. Mexico away (Adidas)
80. Netherlands away: A bit better from the Netherlands, this, but not much.
80. Netherlands away (Nike)
79. Norway away: We like simplicity, but is this too simple? “The stripped-down, striking visual honours the country’s viking history and celebrates the squad’s raw, Norse confidence,” claims Nike. Sorry, we’re not having it.
79. Norway away (Nike)
78. Saudi Arabia home: Makes us want to play Tetris.
78. Saudi Arabia home (Adidas)
77. Egypt home: It’s giving a vibe of not actually having the image rights to the pyramids, like when the early versions of Pro Evolution Soccer didn’t own naming rights and players were called things like Ruud van Nistelstrom.
77. Egypt home (Puma)
76. Qatar away: There’s clean and simple, and then there’s just bland.
76. Qatar away (Adidas)
75. Bosnia and Herzegovina away: Kelme are back for more, and this one is less of an assault on the iris, which is something. Or would that be the pupil, technically? Suppose really the retina is doing the heavy lifting, image-wise. Anyway, it’s unremarkable.
75. Bosnia and Herzegovina away (Kelme)
74. Curacao home: A little uninspiring, which is a shame, because as we will discuss later, the away shirt is a beauty.
74. Curacao home (Adidas)
73. Turkey home: Quite a lot to dislike here. The strange pattern, the horizontal block line, the centralised crest. It’s just not working.
73. Turkey home (Nike)
72. Switzerland home: A bit odd but broadly fine. And the crest is a big plus.
72. Switzerland home (Puma)
71. Uzbekistan home: Into the fray step 7Saber, with a similar blocky style to Saudi Arabia. The collar’s quite fun but the rest of it, we can take or leave.
71. Uzbekistan home (7saber)
70. Uzbekistan away: Pretty similar.
70. Uzbekistan away (7saber)
69. Brazil away: Vinicius and company will make this look good, we’ve no doubt, but it does look a bit like someone’s had a spillage.
69. Brazil away (Nike)
68. New Zealand home: It’s a little plain but the subtle fern-inspired background is pleasant enough. And black shirts are almost always cool, so that helps.
68. New Zealand home (Puma)
67. Paraguay away: Psychedelic.
67. Paraguay away (Puma)
66. Scotland home: Classic, solid, no mistakes here. But a bit… safe?
66. Scotland home (Adidas)
65. Australia home: A little plain.
65. Australia home (Nike)
64. Iran home: We would usually question the aesthetic benefit of printing the ghost of a big cat’s face on a football shirt, but given it is there to raise awareness of the plight of the Asiatic cheetah, we approve. The sleeve print is a nice touch, too.
64. Iran home (Majid)
63. Sweden home: A touch boring, maybe, but broadly acceptable.
63. Sweden home (Adidas)
62. Turkey away: A bit better than the home shirt.
62. Turkey away (Nike)
61. Argentina home: It looks great from a distance. But look closely and the faded, blocky stripes are a little ugly.
61. Argentina home (Adidas)
60. Egypt away: We’ve just noticed Puma are putting Pumas on all of their shirt shoulders and we can’t stop noticing it now.
60. Egypt away (Puma)
59. Iran away: Much the same as the home edition, but better.
59. Iran away (Majid)
58. Panama away: Panama’s third shirt is absolutely lovely – Scotland Euro 96 vibes – but we are only allowing home and away kits into these rankings or we’d not have time to see our family, and unfortunately the away shirt is a little underwhelming.
58. Panama away (Reebok)
57. Jordan home: This is a bit better from Kelme, upping their game with a fun shoulder pattern and some subtle striping down the body.
57. Jordan home (Kelme)
56. Jordan away: Much the same but in reverse.
56. Jordan away (Kelme)
55. Tunisia home: Kappa, welcome! This one is absolutely OK.
55. Tunisia home (Kappa)
54. Tunisia away: Likewise. Thanks, Kappa.
54. Tunisia away (Kappa)
53. Canada home: The maple leaf motif is a little gimmicky, but we’re feeling generous.
53. Canada home (Nike)
52. Cape Verde home: Jazzy.
52. Cape Verde home (Tempo)
51. Croatia away: This one works slightly better than the home shirt but we’re still thinking about it.
51. Croatia away (Nike)
50. England home: Sharp trim, fine lines, classic colours. A solid effort.
50. England home (Nike)
49. South Korea away: Korea’s purple flowers are a big room-splitter, and we’ve toyed with putting this shirt at the very bottom of our rankings. But no, it’s daring and original, and Korea already have one shirt down there, so we’re giving this one The Independent’s official stamp of mediocrity.
49. South Korea away (Nike)
48. New Zealand away: That background pattern symbolises “the four winds that bring the country together”, say Puma. We don’t mind it, and we like the white sleeves and collar which gives this kit a clean look. Though if we’re being picky, which we are, the black Puma and white fern are slightly jarring together.
48. New Zealand away (Puma)
47. Algeria away: The red trim elevates this shirt with some smart detail.
47. Algeria away (Adidas)
46. Austria home: Good solid colours, bold blocks, hard lines. Very Austrian.
46. Austria home (Puma)
45. Belgium home: Feels like classic Belgian fare, and we’re happy with it.
45. Belgium home (Adidas)
44. Qatar home: Funky pattern. Don’t mind it.
44. Qatar home (Adidas)
43. Ecuador home: Perfectly nice. We move on.
43. Ecuador home (Marathon)
42. Morocco away: We love the background pattern here. The sleeves just need a little something.
42. Morocco away (Puma)
41. Czechia home: Absolutely fine, middle of the road, a solid football shirt. The button is a nice detail.
41. Czechia home (Puma)
40. Portugal home: Wavy. Uncomplicated.
40. Portugal home (Puma)
39. South Africa home: Yep, smart pattern here, good colours, distinctly South African feel.
39. South Africa home (Adidas)
38. Ivory Coast home: Orange, in a good way.
38. Ivory Coast home (Puma)
37. Czechia away: It’s quite bold to dabble with gold when you’re anyone other than Brazil or Germany, basically – deep World Cup heritage. But fair play to Czechia, who’ve gone for it anyway, lifting what is otherwise a pleasant shirt.
37. Czechia away (Puma)
36. Iraq home: The good people at Jako tend to pull out the odd banger and the away version of this shirt is particularly eye-catching. But we like the design on the home shirt too.
36. Iraq home (Jako)
35. Germany away: The three little diamonds make for a neat pattern and the colours are sharp. It’s a lovely aesthetic.
35. Germany away (Adidas)
34. Spain home: This shirt doesn’t say a lot in isolation, but the sleeves tie in nicely with the shorts and there’s a yellow strip on the shoulders which we also enjoy. Perhaps not one of Spain’s great World Cup shirts but a good effort.
34. Spain home (Adidas)
33. Brazil home: Sometimes a simple, classic design works best, especially for nations with aura embedded in the crest. There are shades of 2002 here in the green trim down the sides and around the neck line.
33. Brazil home (Nike)
32. Colombia home: Inspired by magical realism, says Adidas, whatever that is. But we like this shirt: good solid Colombian colours, a neat background pattern, a pleasant shoulder trim. Well done to all involved.
32. Colombia home (Adidas)
31. Haiti home: OK, nice little collar, bold blue body, a powerful scene depicting silhouettes of Haiti’s independence heroes triumphantly raising the national flag, smart red sleeve trim… Hold on, what?
Now, if basically any other country had done this it would be an abomination, but a quick Google tells us the Haitian Revolution is widely regarded as the only successful large-scale slave revolt in human history, creating the first Black republic in the world, so we say bravo.
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31. Haiti home (Saeta)
30. Haiti away: This one is even more pleasing than the home shirt, given the way the flag’s colours stand out.
30. Haiti away (Saeta)
29. Panama home: A nice colour, a nice collar. Nice.
29. Panama home (Reebok)
28. Portugal away: This could be quite Marmite but we’re feeling generous. Like the colour, like the waves, just about like the V.
28. Portugal away (Puma)
27. Saudi Arabia away: Almost all of the Adidas away kits are superb and this is another. It’s quite simple and yet really sharp and clean. We need to again call out the use of gold, which should be reserved for football royalty, but other than that it’s a lovely entrant.
27. Saudi Arabia away (Adidas)
26. Algeria home: Creamy. The pattern is nice and subtle.
26. Algeria home (Adidas)
25. Ghana away: The pattern is based on Accra’s Makola Market, says Puma, and why not. A sunny shade, too. All together a pleasing edition.
25. Ghana away (Puma)
24. Sweden away: We really like the design but the issue here is that it’s not very Swedish. It’s Brazilian, maybe, or Colombian, perhaps. Even so, it’s a lovely thing.
24. Sweden away (Adidas)
23. Ivory Coast away: This was briefly in the ‘terrible’ pile but we reconsidered and decided it is actually so bold and mad that it’s great. It’s in the ‘excellent’ pile and it’s not moving.
23. Ivory Coast away (Puma)
22. Morocco home: Collar of the tournament.
22. Morocco home (Puma)
21. Senegal away: Yeah we like this a lot. Slightly running out of things to say about football shirts at this point if truth be told. If you’re still with us, thanks, great stamina. We’re on the home straight…
21. Senegal away (Puma)
20. South Africa away: Another away belter from Adidas, although – and maybe this is just because we know it’s South Africa – we can’t stop thinking this is a Cricket World Cup shirt from some time in the 2010s. Still, there’s a lot to like here.
20. South Africa away (Adidas)
19. United States away: This is pretty great, with the faint black stars in the background and the thin red trim over the shoulders. Black shirts are almost always cool and this one is a doozy.
19. United States away (Nike)
18. United States home: Setting aside the USA’s obsession with its flag, this is just objectively a great shirt. It is very American, which is important, it’s distinctive, it’s bright and it’s pretty to look at. Much better than some of the bland stuff they’ve worn before. Oh, and we just got it – two shirts, stars and stripes. Very good.
18. United States home (Nike)
17. Canada away: Is it a constellation or a light dust of icing? Either way, this looks great.
17. Canada away (Nike)
16. DR Congo home: Umbro’s sole entrant to the World Cup is DR Congo, and it’s a belter. Is it blue fire? Is it the back of a large frog? We’re not sure.
16. DR Congo home (Umbro)
15. Japan away: We love a pinstripe, as previous World Cup kit rankings will attest, and even though this one looks like it’s been done by a four-year-old with a box of crayons, we approve this effort by Japan.
15. Japan away (Adidas)
14. Norway home: We see what you’ve done here, Norway: you’re wearing a big flag. We like it, and Erling Haaland is going to look majestic in this thing. We’re not sure how far Norway will go in the World Cup but their shirt is a big plus! Cheers, all.
14. Norway home (Nike)
13. Scotland away: What a shade. Salmon, terracotta, coral? Whatever it is, we like it.
13. Scotland away (Adidas)
12. Ecuador away: Now, this we like this from the good people at Marathon. It’s a deep, moody shade of blue with a great collar, and Moises Caicedo will make some authoritative tackles in this thing.
12. Ecuador away (Marathon)
11. Spain away: We really like this. It’s simple but neat and crisp, like a Xavi pass.
11. Spain away (Adidas)
10. Austria away: One of Puma’s best this summer – the watercolour splodges work somehow, and we like the faint gold pattern on top. We called Czechia out for dabbling with gold and it is risky, but Austria have got away with it.
10. Austria away (Puma)
9. Iraq away: Here’s the Iraq away shirt we mentioned earlier, and it’s a cracker.
9. Iraq away (Jako)
8. Uruguay home: A picture of elegance. The sort of shirt you want to wine and dine at a high-end restaurant on a first date. Darwin Nunez is going to look incredibly sharp hitting the post from a variety of ranges wearing this thing.
8. Uruguay home (Nike)
7. Belgium away: Inspired by Belgium’s surrealist movement, says Adidas. Garish, in a great way. It’s perilously close to being awful, but we love it.
7. Belgium away (Adidas)
6. France away: Well this is lovely. The mint green, the subtle tricolour sleeve trim, the understated neckline. Overall it doesn’t feel very French (Portugal, away, maybe?) but it’s a very fine shirt.
6. France away (Nike)
5. Senegal home: This could just be quite a nice T-shirt. But it makes a really great football shirt.
5. Senegal home (Puma)
4. Mexico home: Mexico have topped our kit rankings in years gone by with an Aztec pattern similar to this one, and this summer’s home shirt is a very cool version on the same theme.
4. Mexico home (Adidas)
3. Germany home: We love a throwback and this has nostalgic shades of Italia 90 and USA 94, both elite Germany shirts, while standing on its own as a fine design. Hopefully Germany go far just so this shirt has its own bit of football legacy.
3. Germany home (Adidas)
2. Colombia away: Yes, Colombia! This pattern has a distinct World Cup flavour with notes of summer, samba and South America. If the home shirt is the heart of Colombia, the away kit is a little slice of Caribbean coast. You could wear this to a summer barbecue and be the coolest person there. Though worth noting that if someone else was also wearing the same shirt at said barbecue, you’d both look a bit tragic. We don’t make the rules.
2. Colombia away (Adidas)
1. Curacao away: It’s perfect. The soft yellow tone, the bold blue sleeves, the old-school Adidas logo, the shoulder stripes. Even the collar is exquisite, and the bright colours writing out “Curacao” over the shoulder blades hint at a nation in North America for a good time, not a long time. We have our king.
1. Curacao away (Adidas)
Thanks for reading. Please do tell us where we’ve gone badly wrong in the comments below…
The classics professor whose translation of The Odyssey inspired Christopher Nolan’s film version apparently wasn’t happy with the final result.
Emily Wilson, a classical studies professor at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote the 2017 translation of the ancient Greek poem that inspired the 2026 blockbuster.
Despite calling the film “an entertaining way to hide from the high temperatures for a few hours” and noting that her teenagers “had a good time,” Wilson damned the film with faint praise, comparing it to “an elaborate Fourth of July fireworks display – and with about the same level of narrative and emotional depth.”
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And while conceding that adaptations “needn’t and shouldn’t follow the original with anything like the exactitude of a translation,” Wilson called the film’s vision “too confused” and its characters “too underdeveloped to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas – although it is very good at conveying big bangs and big giants.”
The film “lacks many of the elements that make the poem great,” Wilson argued, and “has nothing convincing to say about time, memory, history, war, or about the relationship between one warrior’s glorious return and the lives of his family, adversaries, comrades, friends and neighbours.”
It also “lacks psychological, emotional, political, and ethical depth,” she said, calling the narrative structure “gimmicky” and the script “abysmal.”
Wilson added: “None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible.”
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She did say she was “humbled” that Nolan had cited her version of the first line of the poem, “Tell me about a complicated man,” but admitted she would “be ashamed to have written any part of this script.”
Yet despite the scathing critique, Wilson still called the film’s release “an event to celebrate” and praised Nolan for “doing his best to get the general public reading again.”
Major pension providers will help give entrepreneurs capital
Major UK pension providers have joined forces with Burnham’s Government to create a new £1billion fund for science and tech startups, fuelled by UK pension pots. The new PM promised this step will “unlock good growth in every postcode” and potentially deliver strong returns for savers.
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The new UK Scale-up Fund is the first of its kind. It will use pension investments to back UK companies that are looking to scale up their businesses, potentially offering greater returns for investors in the long run. It’s being backed by institutional investors and the British Business Bank and aims to give local entrepreneurs the capital they need to grow without needing to look at foreign investors. Here is how it could affect your pension pot.
What does it mean for your pension?
Pension pots are not cash savings, they are investments and what your specific pot is invested in will depend on your risk appetite, circumstances, provider and personal choices. The new fund will see £1billion from affected pension pots invested in the specific startups.
The pension providers involved in the new fund handle defined contribution, defined benefit and Local Government Pension Scheme funds. The new £1billion fund is meant to provide better long-term returns for people invested in these pots, providing them a bigger total pot when they retire. While also using the investments to help science and tech startups grow.
What happens next?
For pension providers, the Government and the British Business Bank, there is still a lot to do to get the new fund off the ground. Starting with looking for an asset manager to handle the new £1billion investment pool.
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However, everyday savers won’t need to take any action themselves as it should be managed by your pension provider.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Today sends a clear message: this is a vote of confidence in British business, British talent and British ambition.
“This new fund would help unlock good growth in every postcode, connecting pension investment with the entrepreneurs and technologies that will reindustrialise Britain and create the jobs of the future.
“That means more opportunities for working people, stronger returns for savers, and more businesses choosing to start, grow and stay in Britain.”
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Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said: “We create great companies in Britain but don’t do enough to grow them with British capital and keep profits in the UK.
“I want the UK to become the best place in the world both to start and scale a business, with investment, jobs and skills in every region.
“We have the third largest Venture Capital market in the world and this new £1 billion fund will mean more British money to back British scale-ups and better returns for pension savers.”
Middlesbrough Council’s dog wardens have spoken out after three dogs were deliberately left with the out-of-hours team within 24 hours.
The council has warned that the dog warden service is not a rehoming centre, and intentionally abandoning pets is both distressing for the animals and puts unnecessary strain on a service meant for emergencies and stray dogs.
In a statement, the council said they felt forced to address the ongoing issue, as it is becoming an “increasingly concerning” trend in the area.
Dog wardens are responsible for responding to reports of lost and stray dogs, investigating animal-related incidents, and ensuring the welfare and safety of the animals involved – rather than being a place to surrender pets.
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But Middlesbrough’s wardens say they are often being forced to take in animals that aren’t lost, but have been intentionally abandoned.
Unwanted dogs are being increasingly dumped with Middlesbrough Dog Wardens, when their primary focus is rescuing and reuniting lost or stray dogs. (Image: Pixabay)
The team works around the clock to protect dogs and respond to genuine cases, but the rise in abandoned pets is placing increasing pressure on the service’s limited resources.
The council stressed that abandonment also leaves animals frightened and confused, and is neither a responsible nor humane solution.
The statement continued: “We understand that circumstances can change and that sometimes owners may find themselves unable to care for a dog.
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“There are responsible ways of seeking help and support – abandoning an animal is not one of them.”
The council is urging pet owners who are no longer able to care for their animals to seek advice and support, rather than dumping them with the dog wardens.
“Three dogs in 24 hours is three too many,” the statement concluded.
“Let’s look after our animals and treat them with the care and compassion they deserve.”
Manchester United have been active in the summer transfer market and continue to be linked with various players including Bournemouth’s Alex Scott
Manchester United have enjoyed a busy start to the summer transfer window as Michael Carrick begins to shape his squad. The new boss has been strengthening his team as the club looks to continue their successful end to last season.
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United have already brought in midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to address a key area of the pitch. Casemiro’s departure at the end of his contract and Manuel Ugarte’s injury during the World Cup made midfield a priority and the club have continued to be linked with other targets.
Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is among them following his impressive displays for the Cherries. However, United face competition from Chelsea for the 22-year-old’s signature.
Meanwhile, the club have announced the signing of teenage goalkeeper Kit Margetson, becoming the second shot-stopper to arrive at Old Trafford this summer. Here, Mirror Football looks at some of the biggest headlines surrounding United.
United have completed the signing of former Swansea City starlet Kit Margetson. The 20-year-old goalkeeper arrives after reaching the end of his contract with the Swans last month.
Margetson spent last season on loan at Connah’s Quay Nomads, helping the club reach the European spots in the Cymru Premier. He becomes the club’s fifth summer signing under Michael Carrick, following Santos, Telemans, experienced goalkeeper Karl Darlow and former Tottenham Hotspur youngster Tynan Thompson.
A club statement read: “Manchester United have agreed the signing of exciting young goalkeeper Kit Margetson, subject to registration. The 20-year-old was most recently at Swansea City, a club he’d been with since under-15s.
“Last season, he had his first taste of senior football on loan at Connah’s Quay Nomads and kept 10 clean sheets in 34 appearances, helping the Welsh side to qualify for European competition. Margetson has also earned youth international caps for Wales and made his Under-21s debut against Belarus in March. Everyone at United would like to welcome Kit to the club and wish him the very best of luck for the future.”
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Margetson is the latest goalkeeper to join the club after Darlow, who was snapped up as a free agent from Leeds to be an experienced backup to Senne Lammens. Meanwhile, Andre Onana has returned to Trabzonspor on loan and both Radek Vitek and Altay Bayindir are also set to leave this summer.
Alex Scott move takes new twist
United could face a twist in their pursuit of Bournemouth’s Alex Scott as Chelsea plot their next steps. The 22-year-old featured in 37 league games as the club qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.
Sky Sports Germany reports that Chelsea are considering submitting a second offer for Scott. The west London club reportedly had an initial £64m bid rejected by Bournemouth, who have stated that the midfielder is not for sale.
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Scott has given interested sides hope by rejecting a new Bournemouth contract. However, United have also been linked with Roma’s Manu Kone, Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba as the club weigh up midfield targets.
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Thousands of fans upgraded their Premier League matchday last season. This is how they did it.
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Official premium experiences available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
Diane, who is currently appearing in the BBC sitcom Ann Droid, which she wrote, reunited with Ricky, for the new animated series, Alley Cats.
Alley Cats is the latest creation from the Ricky and follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral cats from different walks of British society as they seek companionship while reflecting on the absurdities of everyday life.
The adult animated series comprises six 15-minute episodes and reunites several of Gervais’s After Life collaborators, who lend their voices to the foul-mouthed feline cast.
Diane, 50, joked “If Ricky asked me to do anything, obviously I’d do it. I would have made sandwiches, to be honest.”
She added: “I know you see the cats and you think, ‘Oh, aren’t they cute and lovely?’ And they have these little adventures, and then they just open their mouths. It’s sort of like Derek and Clive, they used to be these really sweary comedians.
“It was just the whole thing was as sick as it could be, and it’s sort of like that when we improvised as Alley Cats.”
Unlike many animated series, where actors record their lines separately in a voice booth, the cast of Alley Cats recorded the series together as an ensemble.
“It was lovely because we all know each other from After Life,” said Diane.
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She added: “It’s basically the cast of After Life again, with a few new additions. And it’s such a treat as well to be able to just sit there and listen to Ricky improvise. You know, it feels like an honour, doesn’t it? I have a private audience with Ricky and all these amazing comics.
“I didn’t think of it as an animation. It’s basically a lot like After Life, and I think you had to think of it as just like a comedy.”
Speaking about her character and the show’s themes, she says: “Olive’s an idiot, and she’s Ricky’s half-sister, so she’s got a lot of funny lines. You know those best bits where you just pop up, say a line, disappear again, and then I can sit back and watch everyone else improvising and just enjoy my afternoon.
“That’s what Ricky does. He’ll do these really emotional, poignant pieces, and then all of a sudden he’ll have this massive gear change into filth, but it sort of works.
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“You can do that, it’s sort of like magic. Yeah, it’s just these stray cats that have these little adventures, and they’re trying to make sense of the world and why humans are such idiots and are wrecking everything. It’s lovely, actually.”
The ensemble also includes Jo Hartley, Tom Basden, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Andrew Brooke and Natalie Cassidy.
Alley Cats premieres on Netflix on Friday, August 7.
The homes form part of bigger plans to build up to 3,000 homes
Plans for more than 1,600 new homes could present a “significant opportunity” to extend a Cambridgeshire city, according to an investment group. The Church Commissioners for England, which manages the Church of England’s investment portfolio, has submitted plans for up to 1,607 new homes in Ely.
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The plans are for land at High Flyer Farm on the north of Apollo Chase. They also propose an extension to Ely Country Park, a community allotment/orchard, and an extension to the Chesttisham Business Park. The site covers 85.21 hectares.
The applicant said: “The redevelopment of the site will contribute towards meeting the council’s housing requirements within the planned growth strategy for Ely, delivering a range of homes including affordable housing to meet local needs, alongside significant publicly accessible open space and landscape enhancement.”
They added that the plans would aim to create an “attractive, distinctive and inclusive new neighbourhood of exemplary design quality”.
The housing development is also seen as a “significant opportunity” to extend Ely to the north. The applicant added: “The development at Highflyer Farm North represents the final jigsaw piece in completing the planned northern growth of Ely to create a sustainable and well connected new neighbourhood on the northern edge of Ely.”
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Extending Ely Country Park as part of the plans will support the applicant’s aim for around 45 per cent of the site to be accessible open space. The extension of Chettisham Business Park aims to “support local jobs and a balanced mixed-use extension”.
The plans form part of the larger Ely1 allocation in the East Cambridgeshire District Council Local Plan for 2015. This covers around 210 hectares of land and plans for up to 3,000 homes.
The applicant also proposes to build two new primary schools and two local centres to “incorporate retail and community facilities”.
Garry Smithies, 37, of no fixed address, is accused of threatening a cyclist with a Stanley knife in a public place and wounding him with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm in Museum Street on Thursday.
He was not asked to enter a plea.
As the wounding charge can only be tried by a judge and jury, he was sent to York Crown Court. He was remanded in custody.
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He will appear before the higher court on August 17 for a plea and trial preparation hearing when he will be expected to enter his plea.
A cyclist was taken to hospital on Thursday following an incident at 8.08pm which led to a police cordon being set up for a time around Museum Gardens. He was in his 50s and from Leeds.
A 37-year-man was arrested later the same evening.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Bridget Phillipson as Labour Party chair.
A Labour spokesperson said Phillipson, who is also minister for women and equalities, will work closely with deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell to modernise the party ready for the next general election.
Phillipson and Powell went head to head for the deputy leader position last year, after a race triggered by Angela Rayner’s resignation, with Powell emerging victorious following 54% support from the party membership, external.
Phillipson had been education secretary under Sir Keir Starmer but that job was also handed to Powell by Burnham when he appointed his cabinet last week.
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Announcing Phillipson’s appointment, Burnham said she would help the party focus on preparations for a new digital campaigning environment.
“She will play a vital role in ensuring the Labour Party is match fit for the next election,” he said.
She replaces Anna Turley who was made a minister in the Home Office last week.
The leadership team, which also includes chief whip Anneliese Midgley, is expected to focus on culture change, and building the infrastructure and policy platform needed by 2029, which is the latest an election can be held.
“I joined our party as a teenager and saw first hand the difference a Labour government makes,” she said.
“I’ll work with members to build the election-winning machine that sees off Reform [UK] for good and secures a second Labour term.”
Welcoming her, Powell said: “Working together, we will ensure the party continues to lead the way in campaigning, with the strongest ground operation in British politics as we prepare for the next general election.”
An Islamic charity accused of being an outpost of the Iranian regime in London has the right to bring workers into Britain.
The Islamic Centre of England in Maida Vale appears on a Home Office list of organisations with approval to sponsor skilled worker visas.
Licensed visa sponsors have been officially vetted and approved by the Home Office to hire non-UK citizens.
The centre remains on the list despite claims it has been involved in spreading pro-Tehran propaganda and has successfully issued a number of certificates of sponsorship – documents required for migrant workers applying to enter Britain.
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It is currently under investigation by the Charity Commission over alleged ties to Tehran.
The charity was reported to the watchdog earlier this year for hosting a ‘community bazaar’ where stalls sold pro-Tehran key rings and Hezbollah-themed phone cases.
Other stalls sold stickers featuring the silhouette of General Qassim Soleimani, former head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). When Soleimani was killed in an American air strike in 2020, the centre hosted a candlelit vigil.
Shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns called for the centre to be immediately removed from the list.
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The Islamic Centre of England in Maida Vale appears on a Home Office list of organisations with approval to sponsor skilled worker visas
‘This is a bona-fide backdoor into the UK for Iranian agents,’ she said.
‘For years I’ve worked to get the Islamic Centre of England, an indoctrination hub, shut down.’
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Kasra Aarabi, director of research on the IRGC at United Against Nuclear Iran, a non-profit organisation, called its inclusion on the Home Office list ‘truly appalling’.
He added: ‘This is no ordinary mosque or charity. It operates as the UK office of the Iranian regime’s supreme leader. The situation is far worse than has been reported.’
In response, the centre insisted it was not a representative of ‘any government, political entity, or individual’.
A spokesman said: ‘Like many charities, faith organisations and other eligible institutions in the UK, the centre holds a Home Office sponsor licence, which allows it to sponsor skilled workers where it meets the requirements of the UK’s immigration system.
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‘We recognise that questions have previously been raised about the centre and its perceived relationship with the Iranian government. The centre has consistently maintained that it is an independent UK charity and carries out its activities in accordance with UK law and its charitable objectives.’
A string of Islamic bookshops flogging anti-Semitic texts also appear on the visa list.
Some of the books being sold offer outrageous claims, such as one saying that Jewish people have a ‘wicked nature’, while other texts have been labelled as a radicalisation threat by our prisons.
One of those on sale is Milestones by Sayyid Qutb, an influential former Muslim Brotherhood leader who believed Islam should govern every aspect of society.
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His work also denounces ‘world Jewry’.
Other texts include those by Hasan al-Banna, the Brotherhood’s founder, and Bilal Philips, a cleric banned by the Home Office, who offered advice on beating wives.
The books sold by these businesses are not illegal in the UK and in some cases are sold through a number of mainstream platforms.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of the businesses.
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But Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: ‘It is clear the ‘skilled’ visa route is being abused.
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‘This is not skilled work by any definition – it is a blatant loophole, exploited by businesses who should never have been trusted with a sponsor licence in the first place.
‘We don’t want extremists in this country.
‘I would like to see these organisations lose their sponsor licence and anyone they have brought into the country who is still here on a temporary work visa deported.
‘The Government must urgently review this.’
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Skilled worker visa certificates were introduced in 2020 as part of a post-Brexit immigration overhaul.
The scheme, overseen by the Home Office, allowed registered employers to bring workers into the country to fill jobs meeting a specific skill level.
Businesses such as vape shops and newsagents are among those to have been given licences, drawing questions over whether all those brought over are truly ‘skilled’.
Dozens of official certificates of sponsorship, the paperwork needed to apply for a skilled worker visa, have been issued by Islamic bookshops.
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Home Office figures show that one of those stores, in Birmingham, has issued up to 16 skilled worker certificates since 2021.
A Home Office register says more than 120,000 organisations are licensed to issue certificates of visa sponsorship in the UK.
These organisations range from huge firms such as Barclays Bank to small corner shops and vape stores.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The Islamic Centre of England has not sponsored any workers since 2022, and the Charity Commission is currently investigating this organisation.
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‘We treat the threat posed by the Iranian regime and those who do its bidding with the utmost seriousness. That’s why we have fast-tracked a change in the law to outlaw support for the IRGC, equipping the police and intelligence service with more powers to disrupt those working on their behalf, and making it easier to prosecute them.
‘If wrongdoing is uncovered, those responsible will face the full force of the law, with the possibility of lengthy prison sentences, loss of licences and further civil action.’
Visitors will be able to see Father Christmas as well as enjoy food and drink along the trail
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Tickets are now on sale for a major Christmas event in Cambridgeshire. Christmas at Wimpole will return with a brand-new light trail at the National Trust estate in 2026.
The event will take place between November 20 and January 3. It has been created by award-winning light trail producers, with seasonal music accompanying the visual displays.
Visitors will also be able to glimpse Father Christmas and enjoy food and drink at stalls along the way. A spokesperson for the event said it will be “bigger, bolder and more spectacular than ever”.
James Dakin, director of live experiences at RG Live, a subsidiary of Sony Music, said: “Christmas at Wimpole 2026 promises an evening of light, wonder and festive joy, set against the remarkable backdrop of the Wimpole Estate.
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“It is the kind of experience that turns a simple winter walk into a shared Christmas moment, with bold new installations, beautiful details and plenty of surprises along the route. From the first glow of the trail to the Christmas Cathedral, we want visitors to feel fully immersed in the festive season and to create a night people will remember.”
Hilary Wilson, visitor experience manager, said: “Christmas at Wimpole is all about bringing people together and creating those special moments that make the festive season so memorable. Whether you’re visiting with family, friends or loved ones, the trail offers a chance to step away from the everyday, enjoy the magic of the estate, and soak up the spirit of Christmas.”
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