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East Bengal run riot in extra time, stun Al Arabi 4-1 to reach AFC Champions League Two group stage

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12 August 2026

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East Bengal run riot in extra time, stun Al Arabi 4-1 to reach AFC Champions League Two group stage

East Bengal FC supporters wave the Indian tricolours during the AFC Champions League Two preliminary-stage knock-out football match between East Bengal FC and Kuwait’s Al Arabi SC, in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)

East Bengal staged a late comeback to beat Kuwait’s Al Arabi SC 4-1 after extra time and qualify for the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday.The home side appeared set to exit the competition after trailing 0-1 with only 14 minutes of regular time remaining.Jay Gupta then brought East Bengal level in the 90th minute, giving the hosts a chance to turn the match around.East Bengal carried that momentum into extra time and took control of the game.Captain Mohammed Rashid put the Kolkata side ahead in the 108th minute to make it 2-1.Substitute David Lalhlansanga then extended East Bengal’s lead in the 117th minute.Rohit Danu completed the comeback by scoring in the first minute of stoppage time in extra time, sealing a 4-1 win for East Bengal.The victory sends East Bengal into the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two.East Bengal, who won the Indian Super League last season, their first top-flight triumph in 22 years to qualify for the continental competition, will now enter the West Region group stage in the continent’s second tier club football.The group phase will feature 16 teams playing in a round-robin format with home-and-away fixtures.

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3 American Horse Racing Festivals Every Bettor Should Follow This Summer

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12 August 2026

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Summer is one of the most exciting periods on the American horse racing calendar, bringing together historic venues, elite horses, and prestigious stakes races that attract nationwide attention.

Each festival offers distinctive racing conditions, competitive fields, and compelling storylines that keep enthusiasts engaged while helping shape the championship picture later in the season.

From Saratoga’s traditions to Del Mar’s coastal showcase, these events provide valuable opportunities to follow top-class racing while watching the sport’s leading horses progress toward the biggest races of the year. The following three racing festivals represent some of the most notable events to follow throughout the season and into the fall.

1. Saratoga Delivers Historic Summer Racing

July 3 – September 7

Few American racecourses carry the prestige of Saratoga Race Course. Opened in 1863, it remains one of the country’s most celebrated sporting venues, blending tradition with a summer schedule filled with elite competition. Racing fans return each year for its unique atmosphere, where history and modern championship racing meet on one of the sport’s most respected stages.

The lengthy Saratoga meet provides a steady stream of competitive racing across several weeks. Daily cards feature a balanced mix of maiden races, allowance contests, and graded stakes, giving followers countless opportunities to study evolving form. As horses continue progressing throughout the summer, fresh storylines emerge almost every racing day.

The biggest attractions are the Whitney Stakes and Travers Stakes, both drawing leading owners, trainers, and jockeys from across North America. Many horses arrive after strong spring campaigns, creating exceptionally deep fields. When reviewing 2026 Whitney Stakes picks, many racing enthusiasts compare recent Grade 1 performances, pace scenarios, and previous Saratoga form before assessing the race’s leading contenders.

Saratoga has also earned a reputation for producing memorable surprises. Heavy favorites have occasionally been denied by improving rivals capable of delivering career-best performances. That unpredictability adds another layer of intrigue, encouraging racing enthusiasts to examine every contender carefully as each summer festival unfolds.

Saratoga’s demanding schedule also rewards consistency from both horses and connections. Trainers who regularly target the meet often arrive with carefully planned campaigns, while experienced jockeys understand the track’s unique characteristics. Those familiar patterns provide additional context when evaluating contenders throughout the festival’s marquee races and daily cards.

2. Del Mar Anchors West Coast Action

July 17 – September 7

Set beside the Pacific Ocean, Del Mar offers one of the most distinctive settings in American racing. Its relaxed coastal atmosphere combines with high-quality competition to create a summer meeting that attracts fans from across the United States. The venue has become synonymous with premier West Coast racing and continues to host some of the season’s biggest events.

The meeting regularly welcomes accomplished horses from California, Kentucky, New York, and other major racing regions. These cross-country shippers introduce new form lines while creating fascinating matchups between horses that rarely meet elsewhere. Their arrival strengthens both stakes races and supporting cards throughout the festival.

The Pacific Classic stands as Del Mar’s signature event and one of the country’s leading Grade 1 dirt races. Many participants use it as an important stepping stone toward the Breeders’ Cup, making the race an early indication of autumn championship contenders. Elite older horses frequently arrive with impressive credentials earned throughout the first half of the season.

Del Mar’s relatively consistent racing surface also assists handicappers evaluating previous performances. Horses that have already demonstrated success under similar conditions often bring previous success under similar conditions into the meeting. Combined with established pace patterns and quality competition, that consistency makes Del Mar one of the summer’s most closely followed racing festivals.

3. The Breeders’ Cup Crowns the Racing Season

October 30 – 31

The Breeders’ Cup stands as the defining championship event in North American thoroughbred racing, bringing together many of the world’s best horses for two days of elite competition. Held at a different host venue each year, the festival features championship races across multiple divisions, from turf and dirt specialists to top-class sprinters, juveniles, and older horses. Success on this stage often shapes year-end Eclipse Award voting and can significantly influence a horse’s legacy within the sport.

What makes the Breeders’ Cup particularly compelling is the diversity of its fields. Champions from major American circuits regularly face accomplished international runners from Europe, Asia, and beyond, creating matchups rarely seen elsewhere during the season. Differences in racing styles, preferred surfaces, and tactical approaches often produce fascinating contests that reward adaptability as much as outright ability.

Preparation for the Breeders’ Cup begins months before the starting gates open. Horses typically qualify through the international “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series or arrive after strong performances in prestigious Grade 1 races throughout the year. Their form, recent competition, distance preferences, and experience on similar tracks all become important talking points as anticipation builds toward championship weekend.

The event also serves as the culmination of the racing calendar, with standout performances frequently defining careers and influencing future breeding value. Whether an established champion reinforces an already impressive résumé or an emerging contender announces itself on the biggest stage, the Breeders’ Cup consistently delivers races that resonate well beyond the final finish line, making it one of the sport’s most anticipated annual spectacles.

A Summer Calendar Worth Following

America’s leading racing festivals each contribute something unique to the season. Saratoga celebrates tradition with its historic Whitney and Travers Stakes, Del Mar showcases elite West Coast competition capped by the Pacific Classic, and the Breeders’ Cup brings the year to its championship climax with the sport’s best horses from around the world.

Together, these events showcase the depth, history, and variety that make American horse racing one of the sport’s most engaging calendars to follow. As horses continue building toward the year’s biggest championship races, these festivals remain key moments for fans to follow the stories, rivalries, and performances shaping the season.

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At Merion, host of the 2026 U.S. Amateur, there’s always magic in the air

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12 August 2026

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Mark Fulcher, the winning caddie at the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion with Justin Rose, is enduring a serious case of caddie envy this week, with the U.S. Amateur unfolding at Merion. Like all proper golf bums, Fooch (as the veteran British caddie is known throughout golf and at your better racetracks) knows that match-play golf is the game at its primal and purest best. This is, after all, a man who has caddied in seven Ryder Cups, seven Solheim Cups and one Presidents Cup, all contested at match play. The U.S. Am, like its British counterpart, is a match play event (after the two-day stroke play qualifier). At the 1930 U.S. Am at Merion, Bobby Jones completed golf’s version of the Grand Slam (it’s a bridge term) with an 8-and-7 victory in the 36-hole final over a gent named Eugene V. Homans. If you’re new to this whole thing, in match play every hole is its own one-hole contest. Jones had an eight-hole lead with seven holes to go. No more golf. Jones and his caddie, a local teenager named Howard Rexford, joyfully made the hike from the 11th green back to the club’s iconic white farmhouse clubhouse. There were no carts.

“Could you hit driver or 3-wood on one?” Fooch asked the other day, repeating a question posed to him and doing some oh-so-English stalling. The first hole at Merion is — well, what’s north of iconic? The first at Merion is a delicate tea-party par-4 with a ladies-at-lunch porch located a short lefty’s shank shot away. From there the hole is a wee uphill dogleg that, in U.S. Open stroke-play golf, is iron off the tee, wedge into the green, all day long, four straight days. But match play is a different animal.

“The first question you’d have to ask is, ‘Why?’” Fooch said Monday afternoon. Why would you want to hit driver? He was in Memphis, in its heat, getting ready for FedEx Cup I, Justin Rose due in that night. Well, statement golf would be an answer to that question, if the phrase lands with you at all. It does with Fooch. Match play has a lot of emotion in it. Driving a green as an opening statement packs a lot of emotion.

“Then you’d have to ask, ‘Where’s the pin?’” Fooch said. Heavy metal pin (flagstick), red wicker basket above it. (You’re going to have to find another way to read the wind above the greens at Merion — there are no waving flags there.) If the hole is cut, say, back left? Yes, you could think about hitting driver or even 3-wood off the first tee, and if your opening salvo finished in the front-right bunker, that would be just fine, if not great. But the far more prudent and expected play, Fooch said, is iron in the fairway, wedge on the green, try to make a putt for birdie, leave yourself a tap-in par if you don’t. Merion’s greens are loaded with slope. You can three-putt from anywhere.

Which gets us to Fooch’s No. 1 piece of pre-round advice for any of the 64 players in the match-play portion of this 126th U.S. Amateur at Merion: Use the practice putting green — the big one, to the right of the first tee — and putt a bunch of 20- and 30-footers so you get a feel for that day’s speed and slope. You’re gonna need it.

And from there it’s a short walk to Fooch’s No. 1 piece of smell-the-flowers advice for any of the 64 players in the match-play portion of this 126th U.S. Amateur at Merion: You’re likely to be nervous on the first tee, what with the ladies and all those USGA officials on the porch, all that murmuring that goes dead silent as you get over your ball. “Enjoy the moment” is Fooch’s advice. “What would you give later in life to have that feeling?” The feeling of being on the first tee at the Merion Golf Club, the club where Jones won the 1930 Amateur and Ben Hogan won the 1950 U.S. Open, and playing in a USGA competition.

Fooch and Rose, in a manner of speaking, had a similar conversation at a recent USGA competition, the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in June. Justin Rose is 46. Mark Fulcher is 61. They have both been at this whole golf thing for a long while. Rose, like Tom Kite before him, has had many heartbreaking seconds and thirds and top-5s in majors, but he does have that one U.S. Open win.

“In the third round, we were three over through four, and things got quiet and there was a moment of, ‘What are we doing here?’ And we said, ‘There will come a time in our lives when we wish we could be three over through four in the third round of a U.S. Open.’” There was a mental adjustment, frustration giving way to privilege and joy — the privilege and joy of being where you are. The third-round 73 was no great shakes, but 73 is better than 74 or 75 or 76. A Sunday 68 led to a grind-it-out T-11 finish. Not a top-10 but better than T-12.

That’s the spirit. It really is. You can see the gratitude gene in all this, too. If you’ve been watching Rose for a while, Mark Fulcher often by his side, you know he has the gratitude gene, along with some other qualities — a type of golfing OCD — that have allowed him to lead an incredible golfing life. Adam Scott’s approach is decidedly similar. (Phil Mickelson was at another level for artistic flair and golfing gifts.) One of the most quietly impressive sights of this year in professional golf was seeing Justin Rose late on Monday afternoon at Royal Birkdale, the week of the Open Championship, grinding over 5-footers on the practice green, as if he had never made one in his life. He’s made a million, but there’s always the next one. Fred Couples was not built for such sessions — not physically, not mentally — but golf is a case of to each his own. Or her own. The U.S. Women’s Open is coming to Merion in 2034.

Fooch was on campus for the Curtis Cup in 2022 at Merion. Merion, Merion, Merion. After winning the U.S. Open in 1971, in a two-man playoff with Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino said, “I fell in love with a girl named Merion and I don’t even know her last name.” When Justin Rose was playing a practice round at Merion before the 2013 U.S. Open, his putting coach, David Orr, said to Rose, “Imagine Ben Hogan right here, in that flat cap, smoking a cigarette, away from the crowds, just thinking about his next shot — how magical is that?” This was not on 18, where Hogan played a second shot made immortal by the Hy Peskin photograph that captures its finish. It was while walking through the quarry on 16, in that no man’s land between the fairway and the green.

So many gods at Merion. Hogan, Jones, Trevino. Rose is a member of the club. Mickelson almost won there. Almost is part of what makes golf the game that it is. The runner-up at this week’s U.S. Am gets an invitation to play in next year’s Masters in April, provided he stays amateur. A good bet is that that guy will stay amateur, at least through the Masters. Fred Ridley, the chairman of Augusta National, is the last winner of the U.S. Amateur who did not ever turn pro. He won in 1975.

Some weeks after the 2013 U.S. Open, a package arrived at Fooch’s home, big enough for an upright piano. It was a Merion flagstick, with its heavy metal red-and-white shaft and the red wicker basket. In his mind, Fooch imagines it was the one that he removed from the hole when Rose holed out on 18 on Father’s Day in 2013, but he knows it’s not. (The two wicker baskets are different shades of red, he noted.) This week, a U.S. Amateur winner and the winning caddie will leave with special prizes not listed in the brochure. Whatever they are, they will last.

When the 1930 U.S. Amateur was over, six Marines surrounded Bobby Jones and escorted him to the clubhouse. Newspaper reporters surrounded 19-year-old Howard Rexford, peppering the caddie with questions. Nearly 60 years later, Rexford had a cut-glass fruit bowl in the living room of his house not far from Merion, the bowl filled with bills. The bowl itself was a wedding gift from Jones and his wife to Rexford and his. Jones discreetly paid Rexford $150 for his services in 1930 — about $2,700 today, adjusted for inflation. In the Depression? A fortune. The money came and went. The wedding-gift fruit bowl did not. Neither did 8-and-7 memories, and the brush with a truly great golfer on a truly great course. Mark “Fooch” Fulcher knows how all this goes. Justin Rose does, too. A player and his caddie will get a taste of it this week. What they won’t know, what they can’t know, is that it’s just a start. Merion and this championship will follow them around forever.

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NBA Cup 2026 team-by-team schedules

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12 August 2026

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The NBA released its schedule for the 2026 NBA Cup. The league’s annual in-season tournament will begin on Friday, Oct. 30.

The tournament is divided into six groups of five teams each. Each team will play four group-stage games.

The knockout games begin on Friday, Dec. 4. The championship will be played Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The title game moved to Hinkle from Las Vegas for the first time.

The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025 NBA Cup championship game — in what also was a preview of that season’s NBA Finals.

EAST GROUP A

Friday, Oct. 30: at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Toronto, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Tuesday, Nov. 24: at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Orlando, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6: at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24: vs Detroit, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 6: vs Toronto, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Brooklyn, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Brooklyn Nets

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Orlando, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

EAST GROUP B

New York Knicks

Friday, Oct. 30: at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 13: at Indiana, 7 p.m. (Prime)
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Miami, 7 p.m. (Prime)

Friday, Nov. 6: vs Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 13: at Miami, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Indiana, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at New York, 7:30 p.m.

Philadelphia 76ers

Friday, Oct. 30: vs New York, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 6: at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Miami, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 27: at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Indiana, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Cleveland, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Philadelphia, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 27: at New York, 7 p.m. (Prime)

Friday, Oct. 30: at Miami, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs New York, 7 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 20: at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

EAST GROUP C

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6: at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24: at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Atlanta, 8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 6: vs Washington, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at Boston, 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: at Washington, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6: vs Boston, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Chicago, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Atlanta, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Washington, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6: at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24: vs Boston, 8 p.m. (NBC)

WEST GROUP A

Friday, Oct. 30: at Phoenix, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Houston, 10 p.m. (Prime)
Tuesday, Nov. 24: vs Dallas, 10 p.m. (NBC)
Friday, Nov. 27: at Utah, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Utah, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Denver, 10 p.m. (Prime)
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Phoenix, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Denver, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Utah, 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Dallas, 9 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: vs Houston, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6: vs Utah, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24: at Denver, 10 p.m. (NBC)
Friday, Nov. 27: at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 6: at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Phoenix, 9:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Denver, 9:30 p.m.

WEST GROUP B

Friday, Nov. 6: at Memphis, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: at LA Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: vs New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Friday, Oct. 30: vs LA Clippers, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 6: at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Memphis, 8:30 p.m.

LA Clippers

Friday, Oct. 30: at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Oklahoma City, 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Memphis, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: vs New Orleans, 9:30 p.m.

New Orleans Pelicans

Friday, Nov. 6: vs Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Memphis, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at LA Clippers, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 6: vs Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs LA Clippers, 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.

WEST GROUP C

San Antonio Spurs

Friday, Nov. 6: at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Golden State, 9:30 p.m. (Prime)
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Portland, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 27: vs LA Lakers, 9:30 p.m. (Prime)

Los Angeles Lakers

Friday, Oct. 30: at Golden State, 10 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 6: vs Portland, 10 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 20: vs Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m. (Prime)

Friday, Nov. 6: at LA Lakers, 10 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 13: at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs San Antonio, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 27: vs Golden State, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 30: vs LA Lakers, 10 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 13: at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m. (Prime)
Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27: at Portland, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 6: vs San Antonio, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13: vs Portland, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: at LA Lakers, 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25: at Golden State, 10 p.m.

KNOCKOUT ROUNDS

All knockout games will be televised on Amazon Prime.

• Quarterfinals: Friday, Dec. 4; Saturday, Dec. 5

• Semifinals: Tuesday, Dec. 8 and/or Wednesday, Dec. 9

• Championship: Friday, Dec. 11 (Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis)

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Man City set new Rodri transfer demand amid Barcelona interest

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12 August 2026

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Rodri could be on his way out of Manchester City this summer with Barcelona keen to sign the World Cup winner.

Barcelona have been told to stump up at least £70million if they want to sign Manchester City superstar Rodri.

Barca are said to be plotting an improved bid of £55m plus add-ons, which would take the offer to £60m. But this is still £10m short of what Etihad bosses are demanding for the World Cup winner, having originally stated they wanted at least £60m for the midfielder. City know the pressure is now on Barca to meet the asking price for someone the Spanish giants have promised to sign.

Rodri snubbed a move to bitter rivals Real Madrid in the belief he would be joining the La Liga champions. But unless Barca president Joan Laporta is willing to pay what City want, the deal will not happen.

Rodri, 30, has entered the final 12 months of his deal at the Etihad. And while he could leave City for nothing next summer, club chiefs believe £70m is a fair valuation of someone who remains one of the world’s best players.

Rodri has now won the World Cup, the Euros, a Ballon d’Or and 13 trophies with City, including the Treble, to become one of the most decorated players on the planet.

City are said to be comfortable with the situation and are happy to keep Rodri at the Etihad for at least one more season, even if it means he leaves for nothing next summer. In the meantime, Rodri is expected to report back to pre-season training on Friday.

He has been recovering from a back operation he underwent after the World Cup. Should City strike a deal with Barca to sell Rodri, the Spaniard will be replaced at the Etihad, despite City having already shelled out £116m on Elliot Anderson.

The club are in talks with Lille over the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi, but have made clear they will replace any midfield outgoings in addition to bringing in Bouaddi.

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Rory McIlroy keen to assess where his game is during FedEx St Jude Championship

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12 August 2026

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Rory McIlroy hopes to be able to see “where my game is” when he returns to action at the FedEx St Jude Championship aiming to deliver a strong finish to the season.

The successful defence of his Masters title in April has been followed by a run of disappointing results, which saw McIlroy seventh at the US PGA before placing joint 32nd at the US Open and then tied for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale.

The Northern Irishman, currently 12th in the FedExCup standings, skipped the St Jude Championship last year, but feels given his current situation the trip to Memphis – where he will play in a marquee pairing alongside Scottie Scheffler – will prove time well spent back out on the course.

“I think having four weeks off going into the last two events of the year was probably going to be a little too much for me in terms of wanting to be competitive,” McIlroy said at a press conference.

“So this is a good week – obviously I want to play well, but it’s also a good week to just see where my game is, do a lot of practice, or as much as I can in the heat.

“I think it is important to be here. It’s the PGA Tour’s play-offs, and I think it’s important for all the players to be here.”

McIlroy is also set to play at the Irish Open next month, as well as the BMW Championship at Wentworth and the DP World India Championship before the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Rory McIlroy is looking to regroup following a testing run of results (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

Before that, though, the world number two remains fully focussed on the challenges ahead in the United States.

“I almost try to view the (FedExCup) play-offs as one big, long tournament, like a 12-round event. You have got to pace yourself. It is three long weeks,” he said.

“We are going from here to St Louis (BMW Championship) to Atlanta (Tour Championship) – every week is going to feel a bit like this. It is going to be hot and sweaty, so you want to be able to conserve energy as well.

“I have always tried to treat it like one big, long golf tournament and sort of get into the rhythm of it and go from there. I have been lucky enough to do pretty well on these things over the years, so I will try to add another one to the list.”

Former Open champion Scottie Scheffler is also looking forward to returning to action in Memphis (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Scheffler is returning to action for the first time since finishing runner-up at the 3M Open.

“I am excited,” the American world number one said. “I have three tournaments, three good starts to kind of end the year.”

Justin Rose is the defending champion at TPC Southwind, where he will play the opening two rounds alongside American Michael Brennan. Tommy Fleetwood has been paired with Jordan Spieth and Matt Fitzpatrick with Wyndham Clark.

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Everton striker charged by FA after placing 61 alleged bets on matches

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12 August 2026

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Everton forward Martin Sherif has been charged with breaching Football Association betting rules.

The 20-year-old, who moved from the Netherlands to join the Toffees academy at the age of 13, is accused of placing 61 bets over a 16-month period.

“It’s alleged that the player breached FA Rule E1.2 in respect of 61 bets placed on football matches between 20 November, 2024 and 12 February, 2026,” said an FA statement.

The Liberian-born Everton U21 player has until Monday 17 August to respond to the charges.

Martin Sherif (left) during an Everton U21 match (Getty)

A former Netherlands youth international who played in the 2023 European Under-17 Championship, Sherif spent last season on loan at League One sides Rotherham and then Port Vale, his first spells away since arriving at the Everton setup in 2019.

He scored twice in each respective spells for the two clubs, and was part of the team that suffered relegation at Port Vale.

Sherif has never made a senior appearance for Everton but spent time in the first-team under David Moyes in February 2025 after much of his front line went down with injuries.

A brief beneficiary of other players’ fitness problems then, Sherif struggled with injuries himself last year, with his time at the New York Stadium ending prematurely as a result of hamstring issues, which caused three prolonged absences and resulted in Everton recalling him ahead of the January transfer window.

Additional reporting from PA

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LIV Golf season finale canceled, according to report

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2 hours ago

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12 August 2026

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What has long been rumored has now been reported as reality: LIV Golf’s team championship in Michigan has been canceled.

The season finale, which was scheduled for the end of August in Michigan, was already believed to be on the chopping block as early as July. Various reports suggested no on-site buildout at The Cardinal at Saint John’s, even as recently as this weekend. And now LIV is moving on, according to a report from The Telegraph, which said the league finally told its players it would not be held.

In recent weeks, most LIV players had little to say about the event, although Martin Kaymer told Today’s Golfer in late July that the team championship had about a 5% chance of happening. Now that reality finally arrived. Staffers were told to book travel home from next week’s event in Indianapolis rather than to Michigan, just a few hours up the road. And despite the dark clouds over its team championship, LIV itself has refused to announce it publicly. (When contacted by GOLF, the league declined to comment.) The event is scheduled to begin in two weeks.

The final LIV event of the season is now set for the greater Indianapolis area and will likely fold-in elements to finalize the season-long team competition with it. LIV Indy was a rambunctious scene just 12 months ago, setting record-breaking attendance figures in the U.S. But in 2026, it will be the 12th and final event of what was scheduled to be a 14-event season. LIV’s New Orleans tournament, originally scheduled for June, was postponed and not rescheduled. The multi-million arrangement between the league and Louisiana saw LIV receive $1.2 million from the state. As of late July, that amount had not been repaid.

This all comes amid a rollercoaster time for the league. In late April, it was confirmed that the Saudi Public Investment Fund would be pulling its funding at the end of the season. LIV executives have scrambled to create a plan they’re calling “LIV 2.0”, which would feature a trimmed down schedule —10 events instead of 14 — with “Team Majors” and half of its schedule located abroad.

Importantly, the purse sizes for LIV 2.0 are expected to decrease by a significant margin. The league, which once pulled in talent via hundred-million-dollar contracts, could see its $30 million purses from 2026 shrink to half of that for 2027.

The runway for LIV remains incredibly murky. Last week, CEO Scott O’Neil held a press conference from the league’s New Jersey event, sharing that LIV had come to an agreement with a “lead investor” that would help the league sustain its business into next year. According to various reports, that investor is BC Partners’ credit division, and the investment is not for equity of the league, but is rather a lending mechanism. When asked for comment, BC Partners declined, but the head of its credit team, Ted Goldthorpe, was on-site at the LIV event Sunday, meeting with LIV’s previous boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan and walking inside the ropes with O’Neil.

The agreement, to this point, is simply a signed term sheet — in essence, an agreement to try and come to an agreement. Various reports marked a finalized agreement contingent upon LIV’s biggest names returning to the league for 2027. The hope internally is that a definitive agreement would be settled sometime in September.

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Joe Root: New Test captain scraps England midnight curfew as he begins second stint

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12 August 2026

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New Test captain Joe Root has abolished the midnight curfew imposed on the England teams – only seven months after it was introduced.

The removal is the latest update to rules surrounding the behaviour of their players – regulations that have come under scrutiny across this year.

The curfew was introduced in January after a number of late-night incidents on the tours of New Zealand and Australia.

Following the first Test of the home summer – a win against New Zealand – former Test captain Ben Stokes broke the curfew in a nightclub in London, sparking a series of events that eventually led to his retirement from international cricket.

In the aftermath of the nightclub incident, director of cricket Rob Key considered imposing a total alcohol ban on the England players.

Then-Test coach Brendon McCullum admitted to “ambiguity” surrounding the communication of the curfew, with new guidelines on it and the consumption of alcohol issued to the England players last month.

But before Root’s first Test back in charge, against Pakistan at Headingley next week, he has relaxed the rules and said: “Let’s be adults.”

The curfew has also been lifted for the white-ball team, despite no change in the leadership of the one-day and T20 sides.

Led by coach McCullum and captain Harry Brook, the limited-overs sides will also no longer have to abide by the midnight rule.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Root said: “There’s not going to be a curfew. I don’t think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest.”

A curfew was first put in place during Root’s first spell as Test captain, between 2017 and 2022, and introduced after drinking incidents on the Ashes tour of 2017-18.

It was abolished when Stokes took over as captain in 2022, only to then be reintroduced earlier this year.

Now it has been scrapped again as Root begins his second spell as captain.

McCullum has been replaced as Test coach by fellow New Zealander Stephen Fleming, although he will not be in place for the three matches against Pakistan, with Marcus Trescothick acting as the interim coach.

“My view on curfews is that I don’t think they work and if you want guys to take responsibility on the field, they’ve got to feel like they can be grown adults off it and make good, strong decisions off it,” added Root.

“And that’s for us as a team to manage well, and self-police well, for me and Flem to manage well in many ways.”

The curfew was first imposed on the white-ball team in January for their tour of Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup that followed.

It came after Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington and opener Ben Duckett was filmed, apparently drunk, on England’s mid-Ashes holiday in Noosa.

The curfew remained in place for the Test team in the home summer, although there was confusion surrounding the terms and how it was communicated.

Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson were out past midnight following the victory over New Zealand at Lord’s, when a member of the England security staff was punched by a Saracens rugby player.

The pair missed the second Test against the Black Caps while the incident was investigated, and were ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. After he returned for the third Test, Stokes announced midway through the match at Trent Bridge it would be his last for England.

Root said: “Ultimately, you’re grown adults, you know what it takes to play for England, you know what your responsibilities are off the field and we need to make sure we don’t find ourselves with any of those situations, off the field, to manage.

“We should be known for how we play our cricket and what we do on the field. We should be on the back page of the papers, and people reading about that sort of stuff. So, that’s as much as I’ve got to say on it.

“Let’s be adults. Look after yourselves, look after each other, create a good, strong culture where you know the right time is to celebrate and enjoy a win, or to have a sensible beer or whatever. And remember you’re playing for England.”

A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board added: “We have a Test captain and coach, who are looking at how they set team standards and culture.

“As part of this, the curfew will no longer be in place. We will ensure all players have a clear understanding of expectations when they come together for the upcoming Test series.”

The removal of the curfew is a partial U-turn on behavioural guidelines that were issued last month and also recommended no alcohol be consumed on the day immediately before, during or on the day immediately after a match.

If players do choose to drink in the period before, during or after matches, it should not be in public.

They have also been strongly discouraged from drinking in private, in order to aid preparation, recovery and professionalism.

The guidelines apply only to the England senior men’s teams. All other England sides – the women, Lions and age-group teams – have their own rules. England women do not have formal rules on alcohol.

Last week, Stokes denied the England team has a problem with alcohol, but instead said “cricket has a drinking culture and that has not changed”.

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Save $100 on Odyssey Ai-DUAL and Tri-Hot putters

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2 hours ago

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12 August 2026

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If adding a new flatstick to your bag sounds like an appealing prospect, now is a great time to take advantage of a super sale, because for a limited time, you can enjoy a $100 discount on Odyssey Ai-DUAL and Tri-Hot putters.

Which would be the best fit for your game? The answer: it depends!

Odyssey Ai-DUAL is face-insert technology as opposed to a specific club design. Ai-DUAL refers to an an Ai-designed dual-layer urethane insert that can be found across multiple putter models and head shapes. Ai-DUAL is designed to enhance ball speed consistency and forward roll as well as provide exceptional feel.

Tri-Hot putters refer specifically to Odyssey’s new line of “square-to-square” “zero-torque” putters, all of which incorporate Ai-DUAL technology in the face. These premium putters are notable for their multi-material construction, in which 80 percent of the club’s weight is centered under the topline, which allows for a forward CG and hosel position.

Now that you know the difference between the two putter descriptors, all you need to decide is which shape, alignment system and stroke profile best fits your game. And if you aren’t sure, it may be time for a visit to your local True Spec Golf, where you can enjoy a free club-fitting with a $500 club purchase. Learn more by clicking here.

You can shop the Odyssey putters on sale below, and click on the link to customize your putter now!

Shop Odyssey Ai-DUAL and Tri-Hot putters on sale

Odyssey Ai-DUAL 1/2 Ball Square 2 Square Max Custom Putter

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Odyssey Ai-DUAL Jailbird Mini DB Custom Putter

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Odyssey Tri-Hot Square 2 Square Jailbird Custom Putter

We’ve moved Zero Torque Forward. Odyssey’s new line of S2S TRI-HOT putters is a revolution in the “Zero Torque” category. Using multi-material construction, we have been able to move the CG of these putters far enough forward to get the shaft entering the head on the topline eliminating the need for shaft lean and thus eliminating one of the biggest barriers to entry for this style of putter. Forward CG and Hosel Position By moving the CG forward we were able to position the hosel spud on the topline, much closer to the face than typical “Zero Torque” putters for a more natural, intuitive and comfortable set up position. Multi-Material Construction By strategically using Aluminum, Steel, and over 140 grams of tungsten we have been able to design a “Zero Torque” putter with more than 80% of its weight under the topline and allowing for our forward CG and hosel position. New FRD Groove This new Forward Roll Design Groove is deeper and more aggressive. With a 19° slope it works in conjunction with the dual layer design to improve forward roll up and down the face.

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Odyssey Tri-Hot Square 2 Square Jailbird Cruiser Custom Putter

We’ve moved Zero Torque Forward. Odyssey’s new line of S2S TRI-HOT putters is a revolution in the “Zero Torque” category. Using multi-material construction, we have been able to move the CG of these putters far enough forward to get the shaft entering the head on the topline eliminating the need for shaft lean and thus eliminating one of the biggest barriers to entry for this style of putter. Forward CG and Hosel Position By moving the CG forward we were able to position the hosel spud on the topline, much closer to the face than typical “Zero Torque” putters for a more natural, intuitive and comfortable set up position. Multi-Material Construction By strategically using Aluminum, Steel, and over 140 grams of tungsten we have been able to design a “Zero Torque” putter with more than 80% of its weight under the topline and allowing for our forward CG and hosel position. New FRD Groove This new Forward Roll Design Groove is deeper and more aggressive. With a 19° slope it works in conjunction with the dual layer design to improve forward roll up and down the face. Cruiser Option The Jailbird Cruiser comes standard at 38” with: a heavier head, a longer and heavier SL140 shaft and a longer 17” grip for golfers that prefer that setup.

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Odyssey Tri-Hot Square 2 Square Jailbird SB Custom Putter

The new Odyssey S2S Tri-Hot SB putters redefine what “Zero Torque” looks and feels like. Through multi-material construction, we’ve moved the center of gravity forward allowing the shaft to enter the head on the topline. This creates a natural square setup without shaft lean removing one of the biggest barriers to adopting zero-torque designs. The SB (Single Bend) configuration shifts the shaft toward the heel, delivering a more familiar look at address while fully preserving zero-torque performance. The result is a zero-torque putter in a non-center-shafted design, with clean, unobstructed alignment and intuitive setup.

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Odyssey Tri-Hot Square 2 Square #7 SB Custom Putter

The new Odyssey S2S Tri-Hot SB putters redefine what “Zero Torque” looks and feels like. Through multi-material construction, we’ve moved the center of gravity forward allowing the shaft to enter the head on the topline. This creates a natural square setup without shaft lean removing one of the biggest barriers to adopting zero-torque designs. The SB (Single Bend) configuration shifts the shaft toward the heel, delivering a more familiar look at address while fully preserving zero-torque performance. The result is a zero-torque putter in a non-center-shafted design, with clean, unobstructed alignment and intuitive setup.

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Odyssey Ai-DUAL 1/2 Ball Square 2 Square Max Broomstick Cruiser Putter

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Odyssey Ai-DUAL Jailbird Cruiser Custom Putter

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