Swansea City have signed Porto midfielder Stephen Eustaquio for an undisclosed fee, which is understood to be about £3.4m.

The Canada international, 29, has agreed a two-year deal with the option for a further 12 months at the Championship club.

Eustaquio’s arrival looks like something of a coup for Swansea given his experience at club and international level.

“Stephen is an experienced leader who possesses great technical quality and game understanding,” said Swansea head coach Vitor Matos.

“His qualities will complement the options we already have available to us in midfield, and he is an incredible professional.

“He is going to be an important player for us, on and off the pitch, and I am sure our fans are going to enjoy watching him play for Swansea City.”

In a rebuke to Lane Kiffin’s recent moves, several conferences, including the SEC, have passed rules banning the use of players who have signed an NFL contract at any point in time.

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I preview a G6 showdown on Saturday between Memphis and UNLV.

The Rebels have to start with a win to make the Playoff.

Vanderbilt has NOT named 5-star QB Jared Curtis the starter, surprising many.

That decision could come back to bite the Commodores.

Plus, the argument for Tennessee beating Alabama.

00:00 College football calendar issues

03:58 SEC votes against athlete return
08:25 Discussing college football matchups
12:36 Hawaii football team outlook
15:01 Predicting UNLV vs. Memphis game
19:56 Discussing quarterback dynamics at Vanderbilt
20:52 Discussing quarterback potential and challenges
25:39 Debating Alabama’s playoff chances

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

India’s spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule on Wednesday offered a unique measure to curb the menace of no-balls that has been plaguing Indian spinners in the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka — suggesting to introduce free-hit in the longest format. 

“I am no guardian of the rules but if a free-hit comes, obviously, no-balls will definitely be reduced. No team would want to bowl those no-balls and give that extra ball and give those extra runs.

“Obviously, the take-off point is talked about. They understand what is happening and definitely a process will be put forward in terms of minimising,” he said.

The Panthers’ running back room is full of questions entering the 2026 season, but one of those has seemingly been answered. Coach Dave Canales said on Monday that the expectation is that injured back Chuba Hubbard will be ready for Week 1, per the Associated Press.

Hubbard is expected to be the starting running back with Jonathon Brooks the second option, but a strained hamstring suffered during training camp has kept Hubbard from appearing in a single preseason game to this point. Due to that – and Hubbard not yet focusing on cutting due to the Panthers’ caution, per Canales’ own admission – the duo will work in a running back by committee approach to begin the year, per The Athletic. 

A calf injury limited Hubbard in 2025, which cost him starts in favor of Rico Dowdle: Hubbard appeared in 15 games but started just the first six, and went from averaging 13.2 attempts and 47 yards per game to 6.1 rushes and 25.4 yards per over his last nine appearances.

Dowdle, though, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, opening space back up for Hubbard, as well as the returning Brooks. A second-round pick in 2024, Brooks appeared in just three games as a rookie before the 21-year-old suffered a second torn ACL and missed the rest of that season and the subsequent one recovering. Now healthy, he is listed as the second back on the Panthers’ depth chart, ahead of Trevor Etienne, AJ Dillon and Anthony Tyrus III, though, Brooks has just eight carries so far this preseason.

In 2024, his last healthy season, Hubbard had 250 rushing attempts for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in 15 games, all starts. A fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, he has spent his entire career with the Panthers, 

Manchester City have released their third kit for the 2026/27 season, a strip that was designed by a fan using AI. Ahead of the new season, City asked fans to design their own third kits using Puma’s AI Creator. Supporters were encouraged to enter written prompts for how they wanted their shirt to look, and the AI tool combined those ideas and created a shirt.

According to City, fans from over 200 countries created 180,000 unique designs for the third kit. Fans were then given the chance to rate the designs. In total, 1.7 million ratings were submitted and, from that information, City and Puma shortlisted ten designs.

From those designs emerged this third kit! Read more here.

Narendra Modi (Image credit: ANI)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stressed the importance of sports in building a healthy society and encouraged youngsters to choose “playgrounds over Playstations”. Speaking to athletes during the Khelo India Dialogue via video conferencing, the Prime Minister said sports should become a part of everyday life rather than being seen only as a co-curricular activity in schools.

Sports should become a way of life

PM Modi said it was encouraging to see sports finding a place in the daily timetable of youngsters along with studies. He said a strong sporting culture would develop when schools and families started treating sports as an important part of life.“When time table is being made for career and studies, sports is also getting its place. This is the change due to which India’s trust in its sporting future is increasing. Sports culture is established when schools do not consider sports periods as a co-curricular activity, but as a way of life. This is how the talent pool is developed, and the children get support from their families. Sports centers are more important than screens. Playgrounds are more important than Playstations. It will only happen when our youth will take this approach forward,” he said.The Prime Minister also spoke about the value of sportsmanship beyond the playing field. He said sports can help create a healthy society, improve family life and build a better work culture.“We often hear that, for a healthy society, a good family system, and a better work culture, the sportsman spirit is essential. And this spirit is very difficult to learn without going to the sports field. Sports not only teach us to become champions, but sports also teaches us to become better competitors. Rising, falling… falling and then rising again… Sports brings this zeal within us,” he said.

‘Those who play, they blossom’

PM Modi said success in sports is not limited to winning medals or matches. According to him, an athlete’s success also brings pride to their family, school, district and state, while also increasing the country’s prestige.“It signifies the blossoming of the individual and the family, as well as enhancing the nation’s pride. When an athlete succeeds, that success is not theirs alone; it elevates the identity of their family, boosts the prestige of their school and college, and strengthens the recognition of their district and state. The world begins to identify that city or state by the athlete’s name,” he said.

The wait is over. Week Zero is upon us, and with it comes the start of the 2026 college football season.

This week’s schedule features a heavy dose of West Coast action, as seven of the 16 teams fall within our coverage footprint.

I preview the opening contests of three Mountain West programs and one each of the Big Ten and ACC, with San Jose State heading to USC, Stanford hosting Hawaii, and UNLV welcoming Memphis.

Additionally, the eight-game slate this weekend sees Sacramento State beginning its MAC era at Eastern Michigan and New Mexico State heading to Florida State.

But for the meat and potatoes of this week’s regional games, we kick off our coverage here.

San Jose State Spartans at USC Trojans

Saturday, August 29
12:00 PM PT, NBC
(Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge & Kathryn Tappen)

Line: USC –38.5
Over/Under: 60.5

A year ago, coming off a 7-6 season with a ton of momentum to end 2024 and a high-flying offense ready to dominate, San Jose State entered the season with extremely high expectations.

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But 2025 did not deliver on the promise, as the Spartans limped to a 3-9 record and just a pair of conference wins.

This season, expectations are tempered a bit so the Spartans could be ready to shock some people this fall.

By contrast, big things are expected in L.A. from USC in 2026. The Trojans return a surplus of talent on offense, with their top two backs and entire offensive line returning.

The pass-catchers lost a lot from last season, but they return perhaps the nation’s top quarterback in Jayden Maiava, and the WR unit is hardly thin.

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While the SC offense returns a lot, San Jose State is returning just 24% of its offensive production, the second-lowest total in the nation.

For the Trojans to truly prove they belong among the short list of contenders for the Big Ten and national title this season, they need to show the defense is up to the task.

It should look the part against SJSU.

While the Spartan offense will have its struggles, I think they might do enough to push the total over the 60.5 offering. And USC should have no issue scoring points.

Since falling to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl after the 2022 season, USC has beaten Group of Six opponents by an average of 45.4 points. This one should be no different.

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Luke Weaver should be a capable passer for San Jose State, and I think the offense will once again spread the ball around the field this season. But the QB still has a lot to prove; he has directed more career turnovers (7) than TD passes (6) at the D1 level.

But while the turnovers were an issue at Hawaii, he completed 60% of his passes and threw for a lot of yardage.

The USC defense could be tested at times by the Spartan air attack, though the Trojan pass rushers also could end up feasting. If that happens, it will be a long afternoon for Weaver.

The bottom line is USC looks like a potential Playoff team while San Jose State will likely struggle to win many games this season.

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The opener should serve as a prelude to both possibilities this season.

Winner: USC
O/U: Over 

Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors at Stanford Cardinal

Saturday, August 29
4:00 PM PT, ACC Network
(Jorge Sedano, Rodney McLeod, and Kendra Douglas)

Line: Stanford –4
Over/Under: 48.5

Last season, these teams met in the season opener in Honolulu, and the Warriors got the better of the visiting Cardinal. This season’s Week Zero matchup sees the teams meet once again, but inside Stanford Stadium.

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Despite being the Group of Six team and playing on the road, Hawaii seems more settled than Stanford.

A huge reason is quarterback Micah Alejado, who has a handle on Timmy Chang’s offense and can sling it with any of the best in the nation.

Since the end of last September, Alejado has averaged 315 passing yards per game, the second-most among FBS passers.

On the other side of the field, the Tavita Pritchard era opens with former Michigan signal-caller Davis Warren making his Stanford debut under center.

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After earning the starting spot for the Wolverines in 2024, he missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

But the strength of the Stanford offense could be the legs of Micah Ford, whose 643 yards on the ground in 2025 were the most for a Cardinal in a season since 2019.

The Rainbow Warriors were solid against the run last season, limiting opponents to just 133.9 rushing yards per outing to rank 44th in the nation. If the Warriors can bottle up Ford and the ground game, they will have a leg up.

Matt Rose is a tackle machine for Stanford in the middle. The linebacker tallied 106 total stops last year, the most in a season for a Stanford player since 2015.

While Rose will make plays from sideline to sideline, stopping UH’s offensive attack will require a much stronger team effort than we saw last season on the Farm.

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In 2025, Stanford ranked dead last nationally against the pass, giving up 288.9 yards through the air per game.

If the Cardinal can’t contain the Warriors, the result could mirror last season’s opener, in which Hawaii kicked a field goal to win a 23-20 thriller.

I think this one will be similarly tight, and once again, I see the Warriors as the better team, opening their campaign 1-0 with an upset on the road.

Winner: Hawai’i
O/U: Under

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Memphis Tigers at UNLV Rebels

Saturday, August 29
7:00 PM PT, FOX
(Tim Brando, Devin Gardner and Josh Sims)

Line: UNLV –4.5
Over/Under: 56.5

Either Dan Mullen was offering up some gamesmanship and not letting the media (or anyone) know too much on Tuesday when discussing the QB battle, or there really is not much separating Jackson Arnold and Alex Orji at the moment.

That might be a good thing, but I would feel a lot more comfortable with the Rebels if I knew Jackson Arnold was clearly the better option under center.

Deception and disguise or not, UNLV will kick it off with Memphis this Saturday Night.

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And this is the game Week Zero is meant for. If this were a week later, the matchup might be just another game in a busy week.

The spotlight will be on Allegiant Stadium. It will shine not only on the Tigers and Rebels, but also on the Mountain West and American conferences with a national audience in primetime.

Both schools have dipped into the portal and, in many cases, scooping up castoffs from Power Four programs.

The entire Memphis starting 11 on defense could be transfers, and the Tiger offense will also lean heavily on new portal arrivals.

Among them, RB Dallas Hayden, formerly of Ohio State, is expected to spearhead what should be an explosive ground attack.

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Last season, the Tigers ranked 31st in rushing nationally, with an average of 184.7 yards per game. Look for a heavy dose of Hayden, who could prove to be one of the better backs in the American in 2026.

The Rebels struggled against the run last season, allowing 177.4 yards per game to rank 105th in the nation. The defense let the Rebels down on a few occasions in 2025, but I look for an improved unit in 2026.

UNLV found themselves simply outscoring opponents at times last year, and I think they will be very comfortable in a shootout on their home turf. The Rebels have a good one toting the ball themselves in Jai’Den Thomas.

While I think the Rebels defense will look better this season, I don’t think they will have to be great. Just make some third-down stops, get the Tigers off the field, and the offense will produce.

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The game figures to be a shootout, and a fun one for the country to watch.

Winner: UNLV
O/U: Over

writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).

Latest posts by Stephen Vilardo (see all)

JK Tyre, longtime supporters of Indian motorsport, on Thursday signed 11-year-old racing sensation Atiqa Mir, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to invest in future champions. At such a young age, Atiqa has already made a strong mark on the international karting circuit, winning races in Europe and beating world class drivers older than her. Atiqa, the first Indian to be supported by the F1 Academy, is currently competing in different series in Europe and is the highest ranked female in FIA’s International Karting Ranking in the OKNJ category (age 12-14).

She joins an elite list of accomplished Indian drivers to be supported by JK Tyre, following in the footsteps of Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, the only two Indians who have reached the pinnacle of F1.

Earlier this year, she became the first Indian to secure a podium in the European leg of the Champions of the Future Academy, before going on to deliver a dominant victory in Greece, where she became only the third driver in the series’ history to sweep qualifying, heats and the final.

More recently, Atiqa added another feather to her cap by becoming the youngest Indian to record two top 10 finishes in FIA European Karting Championship which is considered the ‘Formula 1 of Karting.’ Her journey also represents the growing presence of women in motorsport. Atiqa was the first Indian and Asian female racer selected for F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive programme, further underlining her position as one of the sport’s emerging young talents.

“It is a very special feeling to join JK Tyre. My dad (Asif Mir who was India’s first national karting champion) was also supported by JK Tyre during his racing days.

“I have always admired the company’s contribution to Indian motorsport and the opportunities it has created for young racers. I’m excited for this journey and look forward to learning, improving and representing India and JK Tyre on the international stage,” said Atiqa.

Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries, said the tyre major was happy to support Atiqa in her fast rising career.

“Atiqa represents the next generation of Indian racing, and we are delighted to support her as she pursues excellence on the global stage,” said Singhania.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

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