Antonelli initially looked set to deliver on the pre-race expectations and dominate comfortably at the front following his impressive pole position on Saturday.
Clever driving on the first lap solved his concerns about being passed on the run up the hill to Les Combes, when he let Verstappen past him into Eau Rouge and then slipstreamed back into the lead up the following Kemmel straight.
Behind him, Russell went into Les Combes side by side with Hamilton, trying to pass the Ferrari around the outside.
Russell was ahead going into the corner, but a wobble from Hamilton caused by the airflow to his front wing being disrupted by the fighting Antonelli, Verstappen and Leclerc in front of him, meant he tagged the Mercedes, which spun into the gravel trap and into retirement.
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An emotional Russell said: “I came out of Turn One, for whatever reason I was 30-40% down on my battery. I just totally got swamped up by three cars.
“Incident with Lewis, I have not really seen it. But I thought probably a racing incident. I am not going to blame Lewis. If things were normal, I would have been battling with Lewis, battling with Kimi and Max.
“It is one thing after another, after another, after another. Not good enough on all regards so try and reset again. I’ve done it enough times this season and I’ll see what we can do.”
Antonelli measured his pace carefully in the opening stint, looking after his tyres, until being told to speed up as his pit stop loomed.
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Over the course of lap 17, he demonstrated how much pace he had in hand when he extended his lead over Verstappen from 2.3 seconds to 3.5, before pitting on the following lap.
Two laps later, though, a virtual safety car period for some debris on track gave Leclerc a cheap pit stop – it costs nearly half as much race time to stop under a safety car than under green-flag conditions – and Leclerc was able to stop for fresh tyres and rejoin still in front of Antonelli.
Norris by this point was in the lead, but Leclerc soon passed the McLaren on lap 26, and it was now a question as to how long it would take Antonelli to close the three-second gap to the Ferrari.
Antonelli was on his tail eight laps later and passed the Ferrari on the Kemmel straight on lap 34 of 44.
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Leclerc was able to stay with Antonelli, whose lead never went over two seconds, and there was extra pressure from the fact the Mercedes driver was on the cusp of a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits too many times.
But Antonelli calmly kept things under control to cross the line just under two seconds ahead and retake control of the championship.
It was his first win since Monaco in early June, after a retirement in Spain, a third in Austria and a finish out of the points at the British Grand Prix.
The proposed housing development will be designed to be ‘in-keeping with the local area’, developers said
An applicant is seeking permission to build up to 180 homes in an area on the outskirts of a Cambridgeshire city. Stantec UK Limited has submitted an EIA screening opinion request on behalf of O&H Properties Limited to build the housing development.
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The housing development is proposed on land at Hampton East, near Broadway Business Park in Peterborough. If approved, O&H Properties Limited would deliver up to 180 homes alongside open space and infrastructure.
During a pre-application meeting in June 2025, Peterborough City Council confirmed to the applicant that the development would unlikely be an EIA development, but that a formal request should be submitted. An EIA development is one likely to have significant effects on the environment by factors such as its nature, size, or location.
It is anticipated that the homes would be accessed from the B1091 to the south or the north. However, it is being determined based on traffic surveys.
The housing development will be designed to be “in-keeping with the local area” and the layout will also be designed to maintain connections to the wider green infrastructure network. It aims to provide a “high-quality relationship between built development and adjacent open spaces”, according to the planning document.
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The request has been submitted prior to its outline planning application to approve the development. The site falls within flood zone one land, meaning it is unlikely to flood.
Planned working hours to deliver the homes would be from 8am until 6pm between Monday and Friday and between 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. However, work outside of these hours may be required for construction.
Bitter Argentina players turn their backs to Spain’s World Cup trophy lift after violence marred winners’ celebrations – as lip-reader reveals what furious star said to winning captain Rodri during brawl
Argentina’s sulking stars turned their backs on World Cup winners Spain yesterday as the newly crowned champions lifted the trophy.
The South Americans were outplayed by Luis De La Fuente’s side in a drab encounter at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Lionel Messi and his team-mates unable to disrupt their rivals with the same aggressive, physical tactics that unsettled England in the semi-final.
Barcelona star Ferran Torres bagged the winning goal in extra time to seal Spain’s second World Cup triumph – after first winning the trophy in 2010 – leaving Messi, 39, in tears at the final whistle.
The 2022 champions collected their silver medals from FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump on the stage but opted not to watch as Spain lifted the trophy – despite it being customary in finals of major tournaments.
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Instead, the Argentina players, coaching team and staff walked over to the end where the majority of their fans were sat and turned their backs as their rivals celebrated.
Footage shows Spain players holding the World Cup trophy aloft as gold confetti explodes behind them, with the Argentina team facing the other way.
Argentina’s snub came came after the final descended into violence at full time, with a brawl breaking out between the two sides.
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Argentina players decided to turn their backs to Spain’s World Cup trophy lift on Sunday
The move came after ugly scenes at the end of the game which Spain won 1-0 after extra time
Some of Argentina’s players lost their heads as Spain’s substitutes and staff ran on to the pitch to celebrate their victory.
Torres’s 106th-minute winner came after Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off in the 93rd minute following a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi – which summed up the South Americans’ deplorable approach to the game.
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At full time, Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes was sent off for punching Eric Garcia and pushing Gavi to the ground.
Argentina’s Nahuel Molina also hit Rodri in the torso as he was running by, while Thiago Almada was also involved.
In the aftermath of the ugly brawl, DAZN Spain claimed Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi complained to Rodri about Las Rojas’ pre-match comments alluding to officiating concerns ahead of the final.
The South Americans had benefitted from a series of questionable decisions heading into the showpiece event, with the Manchester City midfielder raising concerns before the final.
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‘You and [Spain team-mate Aymeric] Laporte. Both of you,’ he said to Rodri.
Spain shared fears of roughhouse tactics from Argentina, and their concerns came to fruition with Enzo Fernandez sent off for a shocking challenge on Pau Cubarsi
‘You spent the time crying and complaining about the referees, my friend. But you shouldn’t have spoken before the match, you know that? Didn’t you see what he said this week?’
Argentina were thuggish throughout the World Cup final, just as they had been when they beat England in the semis.
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Astonishingly, Fernandez complained against his dismissal for a second yellow, despite it being a clear foul, before attempting to get Chelsea team-mate Marc Cucurella sent off for covering his face while talking to Messi.
New laws state that footballers who cover their mouths when speaking to a player from the opposing team must be sent off, but replays showed Cucurella was simply scratching his nose as he spoke to Argentina’s captain.
Paredes was also fortunate to not be sent off for a second bookable offence in regular time for a foul on the edge of the box which presented Lamine Yamal with a last-gasp free-kick before extra-time.
Argentina only had two shots in the entire match, with the first of coming in the 117th minute.
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Donald Trump took centre stage as Spain lifted the World Cup trophy on Sunday afternoon
It appeared as though Infantino attempted to usher Trump away – but the President remained where he was
There were an estimated 1.5 to 1.8billion viewers tuning in to watch the summer tournament’s showpiece finale, which saw Trump take centre stage during the trophy lift.
The US President refused to step aside to allow the victorious Spaniards to have their moment in the spotlight.
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Trump and Infantino handed out various awards to match officials and players, before officially welcoming Spain’s players up to the stage to lift the World Cup trophy.
The President presented the prestigious title to Spain captain Rodri, who took great pleasure in raising it aloft.
Much like when he presented the Club World Cup title last summer, Trump stood awkwardly alongside the Spain squad as they lifted the trophy and celebrated wildly.
It seemed as though, when Spain were about to perform the trophy lift, Infantino had attempted to usher Trump away from the players – though the President remained where he was.
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He stood to the side of the team as the confetti cannons went off at MetLife Stadium, clapping and grinning while Infantino laughed off Trump’s awkward cameo.
Loud boos had come from the stands when Infantino and Trump made their way onto the pitch, as fans made their feelings on the pair undoubtedly clear.
Fans noted that one Argentina star – Tottenham defender Cristian Romero – completely ignored the President as he collected his medal from Infantino.
In a video which swiftly went viral on social media, the Argentinian could be seen receiving his silverware from Infantino before waltzing past Trump on stage.
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Meanwhile, the President also presented a trio of awards to Spain’s stars; including the Young Player of the Tournament, the Golden Glove and the Golden Ball – which were claimed by Pau Cubarsi, Unai Simon and Rodri respectively.
There was a degree of irony in regards to Trump presenting Spain with the World Cup trophy, after previously launching a stinging attack on the country at a UN summit earlier in July for not contributing enough money to NATO.
‘Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate. They don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits,’ he said. ‘Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless, bad people.’
Then, on his way back to the United States on Air Force One, Trump said Spain had tried to improve their standings with him.
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‘I did have issues, and I still do. But Spain, they came back all the way today. Spain was very generous today,’ he said.
Wayne Rooney savaged the 2026 World Cup final halftime show as he described the performance as ‘c**p’ and said the ‘best part was when it ended’ live on BBC
The show delivered a spectacular mix of music, nostalgia and global star power, with the likes of Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the Muppets all performing under one roof
‘They honoured a request for lots of payments, and if they didn’t, we wouldn’t have even talked to them.’
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Earlier in the day, Trump and his wife Melania were seen taking in the action inside a packed MetLife Stadium suite – alongside FIFA president Infantino, Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney and Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum.
Trump also shook hands with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as Infantino stood beside them.
Spain’s Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI also greeted the president. Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, reportedly watched the game from home due to ‘superstition,’ The New York Times reported.
Trump also waved at the crowd from behind the glass.
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Inside the private suite, Infantino posed for pictures with the President’s son, Eric Trump, his wife, Lara, and their children. Barron Trump also showed up for the big game.
The World Cup final also saw a bizarre half-time show, with Madonna, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, The Muppets and Shakira performing during the 27-minute interval, which was described by Wayne Rooney as ‘c**p’.
‘To be honest, mine was when it finished I like a lot of those artists but to be honest I thought it was c**p’, he fumed.
‘I did honestly. It just didn’t get me going, I wanted the football to be back on. It was a bit flat. I like Burna Boy I like Shakira I like Bieber but that was too flat.’
Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to reform adult social care system as he opened up on his father’s Alzheimer’s
Andy Burnham has revealed that his father does not know he will be the next prime minister because of his Alzheimer’s, a matter which fuels his ambition to reform the adult social care system.
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The incoming prime minister, who is set to make his first speech on Monday, has promised to “grasp the nettle” of reforming the system, drawing on his father Roy’s experience. He told The Times that his father was unaware that he is on the brink of power.
“That’s a sadness because he would be (proud),” Mr Burnham said. And attributing his success to his family, he added: “The way I look at it, it’s his achievement as well. A whole family achievement although he doesn’t know it.”
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He added that his father remains unaware that his son had come around to the idea of proportional representation – which was one of his political passions. He said: “I don’t think he’s ever realised, because of his condition, that I’ve come round to PR, which is one of his missions – to get me to accept that.”
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Mr Burnham revealed that the family, including his youngest daughter, visited his father last Sunday. “We were at his care home. My two brothers were there, my mum was there. So, all five of us together, which was a nice thing.”
Reform of the social care system is unfinished business for Mr Burnham, who set out plans for change while he was health secretary in Gordon Brown’s administration.
Mr Burnham described the “broken social care system” in England as “the worst of all worlds” and insisted it is a “massive” priority for the public.
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The PM-in-waiting, who will take up his role in Number 10 on Monday (July 20), acknowledged reform will “require something difficult”, after his efforts to do so more than a decade ago failed.
His plans in 2010 to overhaul social care for the elderly with the creation of a national care service for England were turned against Labour by the Conservatives, who claimed they would levy a “death tax” to pay for it.
“The minute that poster landed with the gravestones, that was it. My reforms were dead,” Mr Burnham later admitted.
Now he has pledged to “expend political capital” during his premiership on what he said has been a long-neglected sector – accusing Westminster of having “flinched” from such big decisions for too long.
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Addressing the issue in his first speech after formally replacing Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader, he told a special conference in London on Friday: “Let’s take a problem-solving rather than a point-scoring approach.
“Let’s have the courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected, like social care, and have the conviction to go out there together and argue for our plans.”
How adult social care works and is funded in England has been a thorny issue for many governments over the years. Unlike NHS care, social care is not free at the point of use and high costs sometimes mean people are forced to sell their homes to pay for what they need.
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People with savings worth more than £23,250 are not entitled to help with the cost of care from their local council.
Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading an independent review into the sector and is expected to publish her first report later this year, noted in a speech earlier this month that there have been no fewer than 22 attempts since 1997 at reforming the sector – none of which she said had “fixed the foundations”.
In 2019, in his first speech as prime minister, Boris Johnson said the Conservatives would “fix the crisis in social care once and for all”, something that failed to come to fruition.
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Labour faced criticism after the party was elected in 2024 for scrapping plans for an £86,000 cap on the amount anyone in England would need to spend on their personal care over their lifetime, having argued the proposals were not “deliverable” in the time frame.
After becoming Labour leader on Friday, Mr Burnham referred to his family’s own experience of the system due to his father living with Alzheimer’s.
“I think it’s about being prepared to grasp the nettle,” he said. “I’ve got personal experience of the system. My dad has Alzheimer’s and you see what the staff have to put up with. It’s not their fault. The system’s broken. You can’t leave social care like this.”
He said that while reform “will require something difficult” he believes the public want a better system.
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He added: “The NHS won’t get back to where it needs to be when you have a broken social care system that can’t keep people out of hospital.
“So this is massive when it comes to the things that people care about. And I’m not going to do what Westminster has traditionally done, which is to kick the can down the road on this important issue.
“I will expend political capital on bringing forward a plan to fix social care, and I’m not going to waste time because every time that we waste another year, thousands and thousands more people don’t get the care that they need.”
He said that with the system as it is people are “paying for care in the most unfair way possible”, likening it to “the American healthcare system”.
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Mr Burnham said: “The more vulnerable you are, the more you end up paying, so that’s the worst of all worlds and people lose everything that they’ve worked for.
“So you start from there and then you look at the options as to how you make a universal social care system, because that’s what I believe, a national care service, how do you fund that? And we’ll come to those options in due course.”
Speaking in May, before he became an MP, Mr Burnham said he did not “resile” from previous comments he had made about abolishing inheritance tax in favour of a care levy.
Harry Kane insists England team-mates must stop talking about winning major silverware and focus on finally finishing the job after latest World Cup heartbreak
Harry Kane has told his England team-mates that the talking about taking the final step on the road to silverware must stop and the time has come to just finish the job.
Thomas Tuchel’s squad still appeared in a state of shock as they left Miami following Saturday’s absurd 6-4 victory over France, which clinched third place at this World Cup.
The win secured a best-ever finish on foreign soil but the scars of their painful late semi-final defeat by Argentina are still evident.
Kane believes the manner of that defeat will linger for weeks and revealed that the group had been theorising over how best to deal with specific scenarios against the best opposition since losing the European Championship final to Spain in 2024.
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‘The last 30 minutes of Argentina is not the team we want to be,’ Kane said. ‘We spent a lot of time over the last two years talking about that situation, to attack those moments. The bottom line is we lost anyway.
‘It’s easy to go away and talk about it. We need to get better at actually being in those situations.
Harry Kane has urged his England team-mates to prove they can go on and win a major tournament such as the World Cup
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‘We have to learn, improve. The coach will have improved from these learnings. I can talk as much as I want but ultimately it’s about showing it next time we’re in that situation.’
Kane insisted that the Nations League campaign, which pits them against Spain, Croatia and Czechia from September, should better equipe England ahead of the home Euros.
And he has thrown his backing behind Tuchel amid fierce criticism from supporters and pundits for the way in which a one-goal lead against Argentina was managed.
‘It’s the enthusiasm he has, the emotion he brings, the tactical experience he has,’ Kane added. ‘It doesn’t mean you’re going to get it right every time. We want to get it right on the biggest occasions and he expects that from himself as well. He’s a fantastic coach.
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‘It was his first major tournament. He’ll learn a lot from the players, the situations, the pressures, the travel. And the players will learn a lot from the other night.’
That the players had been discussing their inability to close out the biggest games before Tuchel’s arrival suggests that internally they will shoulder a portion of the blame.
Tuchel had appeared hurt by widespread condemnation, claiming that his first media conference since Argentina had felt as if England had been knocked out of the group stage without picking up a win.
England suffered a heart-breaking World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina
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‘He not only gave the players belief but he gave the country belief that it was our year,’ the England captain said. ‘That is why it hurts even more than other years because everyone believed we were going all the way. Everyone has to process it. He has to process it himself.
‘We’re still in that grieving stage, the emotional stage, and we’ll be in that for the next few weeks.
‘It’s so hard. I think the fans are behind the team and are behind the manager. When something like this happens it’s very emotional – and rightly so. We’ve all been England fans when we wished we’d done this or that and it didn’t quite happen. That will die down naturally.
‘We had a lot of good things, a lot of tough situations we overcame. The group is incredible, the best England group I’ve been a part of in terms of togetherness. The boss was a big part of creating that as well.’
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Harry Kane insists England team-mates must stop talking about winning major silverware and focus on finally finishing the job after latest World Cup heartbreak
Edward Stourton was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014 (Picture: Mike Lawn)
Veteran broadcaster Edward Stourton has died at the age of 68 after living with incurable prostate cancer.
The acclaimed journalist, whose career spanned more than four decades, died on Saturday surrounded by his family, the BBC confirmed.
Stourton – who spent 10 years presenting Radio 4’s Today programme – revealed in his 2023 memoir Confessions that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2014.
After initially undergoing treatment, he was later told that the disease had spread and become incurable. Despite his diagnosis, he continued working until very recently.
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Paying tribute to Stourton, his friend and former Today co-host James Naughtie praised his ‘warm intelligence and wit’, describing him as ‘one of the best colleagues’.
Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya also called him ‘an absolutely outstanding broadcaster’.
Stourton’s career in journalism spanned more than four decades (Picture: Monks/Daily Mail/Shutterstock)
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Sir Keir is departing just two years after winning an extraordinary election landslide, leaving Mr Burnham to become the country’s seventh PM in a decade.
The politicians will parade in and out of Buckingham Palace to see the King as traditional processes play out.
But the former Greater Manchester Mayor is already facing a crucial moment as he names his Cabinet this afternoon.
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The Labour Left is still clamouring for Ed Miliband to be made Chancellor, despite alarm from businesses and moderates. Markets have been calmer amid mounting speculation that Shabana Mahmood will get the role instead, but any surprises could prompt a panicky response.
Mr Burnham has revealed his Alzheimer’s-hit father does not know he is going to be PM, as he vows to overhaul social care;
The new PM has hinted at an earlier end to the freeze on the basic rate tax threshold, without saying how it would be funded;
Mr Burnham will become the first openly Catholic PM in around 500 years, with work-arounds put in place to protect the Church of England;
Loudspeakers have been banned near Downing Street today after protesters blighted Sir Keir’s speech announcing his resignation.
Keir Starmer will officially exit Downing Street today – as Britain braces to find out what an Andy Burnham premiership means
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Sir Keir is departing just two years after winning an extraordinary election landslide, leaving Mr Burnham to become the country’s seventh PM in a decade
The famous black door of No10 is given a buff up as the big moment looms
The handover comes barely a month after Mr Burnham returned to Westminster following his victory in the Makerfield by-election.
He has been installed by Labour MPs in a ‘coronation’, without a formal vote by activists – or having to spell out any policies.
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Among the vague commitments laid out by the incoming PM so far are devolving power away from Westminster.
He has announced he will scrap Sir Keir’s flagship digital ID programme to focus money and attention on the cost of living.
In an interview with The Times, Mr Burnham said he had already spoken to the Treasury about his planned announcements and stressed the importance of making people ‘feel better’.
Adding that complaints about frozen tax thresholds had been ‘lodged in his mind’ since the Makerfield contest, he said: ‘So when people, they’re just characterising me as a tax raiser, well again, it’s never that simplistic is it? The breathing space point is a really serious one.’
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The comments raise more questions about how Mr Burnham will pay for giveaways, after he backed a ‘land tax’ and harked back to the 1970s condemning Thatcherite reforms.
But the weekend was dominated by bungled briefing over whether the new Government will allow new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
The leader’s team has now confirmed he will stick to Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which promised not to issue new licences.
Instead he could merely allow expanded drilling at the Rosebank and Jackdaw sites – something that was being considered by Sir Keir’s administration.
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That could bode ill for Mr Burnham’s relations with Donald Trump, who yesterday jubilantly hailed more drilling as a way of stopping Britain being a ‘poverty stricken disaster’.
Mr Burnham also faces a decision on whether to temporarily nationalise Thames Water as the firm struggles with a £20billion debt pile.
He has already expressed support for greater public control of essential services, and Thames Water’s main creditors have said they are willing to discuss the issue with his new ministers in an effort to agree a rescue deal and avoid the business falling into a so-called ‘special administration regime’.
Another priority is likely to be reforming social care, which he has said is something he wishes to ‘expend political capital’ on.
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The Labour Left is still clamouring for Ed Miliband to be made Chancellor, despite alarm from businesses and moderates
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has urged Mr Burnham to engage other parties to solve the ‘social care crisis’, calling for guaranteed rights for family carers, a universal safety net and protection against ‘catastrophic costs’.
Kemi Badenoch has also written to Mr Burnham, saying her party will work with him to cut the welfare bill and calling for him to rule out tax rises and back new oil and gas drilling.
Mrs Badenoch told Mr Burnham she would ‘never shirk’ from holding him to account, adding: ‘You will enter office without having set out a clear plan on any of the issues facing our country.
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‘You have refused calls to come to Parliament for questions from MPs, and you have not submitted yourself to serious media scrutiny. This is not a promising start.’
Spanish boy, 13, is crushed to death by a collapsing fountain in World Cup celebration tragedy – as millions take to the streets after victory over Argentina
A 13-year-old boy has died after a fountain he was celebrating Spain’s World Cup victory on collapsed.
Two other people were injured in the drama, which occurred just after 12.30am this morning as fans were partying in the historic walled city of Ciudad Rodrigo in the province of Salamanca near the Spanish border.
The teenager was inside the fountain with other youngsters when the upper part of the structure collapsed and fell on top of revellers who were inside it.
Police removed the debris on top of him to free him and rushed him to a nearby health centre but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
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The local council said it was declaring three days of mourning overnight.
It said in a statement: ‘The City Council of Ciudad Rodrigo expresses its sorrow and condolences over the death of the 13-year-old child.
‘The entire city of Ciudad Rodrigo mourns this loss and stands with the child’s family and friends in their grief.
‘What should have been a celebration of the Spanish national team’s victory in the World Cup has turned into a tragedy for the entire community of Ciudad Rodrigo.
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‘The City Council also wishes a speedy recovery to the other people who were affected by the incident.
Spanish fans celebrate in central Madrid after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19
The triumph has sparked an outpouring of national pride in football-mad Spain, where many younger supporters had never witnessed the men’s team lift the World Cup since their only previous title came in South Africa in 2010
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Spanish national football team supporters wave flags and ignite flares as they celebrate their team’s 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at the Fan Zone in Plaza Colon, Madrid, Spain, on July 20
‘As a sign of mourning for this loss, the City Council’s flags will fly at half-mast from July 20 to July 22.’
The fountain where the tragedy occurred is in a spot known locally as the Fat Tree Roundabout in English.
The triumph has sparked an outpouring of national pride in football-mad Spain, where many younger supporters had never witnessed the men’s team lift the World Cup since their only previous title came in South Africa in 2010.
The players are then expected to be received by King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez before climbing aboard an open-top bus for a parade through central Madrid beginning at around 4.30pm.
They will travel from near the Moncloa Palace, the prime minister’s official residence, to Cibeles Square, the central government’s representative in Madrid, Francisco Martin, told Spanish public television.
A ceremony involving the players will then be held at the square, the traditional gathering point for celebrations by the Spanish national team and its supporters.
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Around one million people are expected to line the parade route, with additional security and transport measures planned to handle the crowds, Martin said.
A total of 2,050 police officers and 400 Civil Guard personnel will be deployed, he added.
The precise timetable for the festivities had not been fully confirmed on Monday morning, however, with Sanchez scheduled to make a brief visit to Algeria before returning to Spain in the afternoon.
The royal household had also yet to confirm whether the king would attend the celebrations.
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The scenes are expected to echo the celebrations that followed Spain’s first World Cup title in 2010, when hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded Madrid’s streets to welcome the team home after their victory in South Africa.
Pictured: The fountain where a 13-year-old boy died after he was celebrating Spain’s World victory
Spanish fans celebrate in central Madrid after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, NJ, near New York, Sunday, July 19
Fans of the Spanish national football team celebrate their team’s victory at the Fan Zone in Plaza Colon, Madrid on July 19
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Spain defeated reigning World Cup champions Argentina 1-0, with the lone goal coming from Ferran Torres #7 in the 106th minute of extra time
Spain’s supporters on a motorcycle waves Spain’s flag celebrating victory after the 2026 World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina at Neptuno square in Madrid, on July 19
The capital was already buzzing with activity after the final, where thousands of supporters who gathered in bars and three fan zones had poured out into the streets in celebration
While the country waited for the team’s arrival, celebrations continued overnight from Madrid to Spain’s smallest villages on Sunday night.
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The capital was already buzzing with activity after the final, where thousands of supporters who gathered in bars and three fan zones had poured out into the streets in celebration.
At Madrid’s Colon Square, where a fan zone had been set up for the match, supporters wrapped in Spain’s red-and-yellow flag sang and danced long into the balmy summer night, while others set off flares and fireworks, an AFP journalist observed.
Others shouted ‘Que viva Espana! (long live Spain)’ as they celebrated a triumph that came just two years after Spain’s Euro 2024 victory and with the women’s national team already holding the world title won in 2023.
‘You have faced each challenge with the conviction of a great team and have carried the name of Spain to the very top,’ the Spanish Royal Household said on social media platform X, hailing a ‘reward’ stemming in particular from ‘exemplary commitment in every match’.
‘Today, we celebrate a title. Tomorrow we will remember a legend,’ it added.
Almost a million drivers will be hit by a ‘luxury’ vehicle tax this year after a new car’s average price topped £40,000.
The ‘expensive vehicle supplement’ is an annual £425 levy paid for five years on a car costing more than £40,000.
But with everyday vehicles such as a Volkswagen Golf, Ford Kuga and Skoda Kodiaq now priced at that much, thousands more families are sucked into paying the ‘envy’ tax.
Ian Taylor, of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: ‘Ordinary families are being priced out. For most people the car is an essential thing more than it is a luxury. The Government needs to rethink this tax.’
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The levy is paid for five consecutive years after the second year of registration, costing buyers £2,125.
About 926,000 new cars costing above £40,000 were registered last year, data from automotive analysis firm Jato shows. That figure is set to rise again in 2026, it says, with sales from the first six months suggesting registrations could top 973,000 by the end of the year.
The envy tax is an annual £425 levy paid for five years on a car costing more than £40,000. Everyday vehicles such as a Volkswagen Golf M may be affected by the tax
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The Government raised the tax threshold for electric cars to £50,000 in April to reflect their higher price, but the threshold for petrol and diesel cars has been frozen since 2017 when the average cost was £26,000.
Sue Robinson, of the National Franchised Dealers Association, said: ‘Everyday family cars are increasingly being classed as luxury vehicles rather than the exception the tax was designed to capture.’
The luxury tax, which also applies to hybrid cars, is based on the manufacturer’s price listing, meaning any dealer discounts at the point of sale are ignored even if the final purchase price drops below £40,000.
The levy must also be paid on second-hand cars if bought within the applied period. Engineer Jeremy Stern, 50, of Southam, Warwickshire, paid £48,000 for a second-hand Tesla saloon in 2024, less than half the £98,000 it cost new.
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He told the Sunday Times: ‘Freezing thresholds on car tax is a stealthy way of making more people pay. It seems like another envy tax.’
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said 70 per cent of new cars now cost £40,000 or more.
Since 2017, the price of a VW Golf GTI has risen from £27,865 to £44,175. The price of a Vauxhall Grandland Ultimate, a family SUV, has increased from £33,995 to £40,745.
The ST Line of the Ford Kuga, another SUV, cost £25,845 in 2017, compared to £40,485 today.
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Jato said buyers are turning to cheaper Chinese brands, such as Jaecoo, BYD and Chery. Over the past year, sales of Jaecoo vehicles, which cost £32,000 on average, increased from 8,399 to 34,084.
A Treasury spokesman said revenue from motoring taxes helped to ‘fund the public services and infrastructure we all rely on’.
He added: ‘The expensive car supplement ensures those buying the most expensive vehicles make a fair contribution. We have raised the threshold for new electric cars to £50,000 and are protecting motorists by extending the 5p cut to fuel duty.’
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‘Envy’ tax to clobber 1million drivers who buy an average car this year
These are your headlines on the morning of Monday, July 20.
Argentina v England ‘a joke’
Former England international Will Greenwood launched a scathing assessment of England’s dramatic defeat to Argentina, describing the contest as “everything I hate about rugby” after a match dominated by lengthy stoppages, yellow cards and controversial officiating decisions.
The ex-centre did not hold back in his verdict on the encounter, which lasted around two and a half hours and was repeatedly interrupted by TMO interventions, disciplinary reviews and lengthy discussions between the match officials.
Writing in the Telegraph after the game, Greenwood said: “What an absolute joke of a game that was between Argentina and England. It was everything I hate about rugby. A 2½-hour match with total confusion, misinterpretation, disagreements between officials, players getting on at each other, England brilliant then collapsing then brilliant then collapsing. It ruined my night.”
The Test had already become an increasingly fractious affair, with a succession of yellow cards disrupting the flow and leaving both teams repeatedly forced to adapt with reduced numbers. Several incidents were referred upstairs for review, contributing to the stop-start nature of the contest and prompting fresh debate over rugby’s disciplinary process and the impact of lengthy TMO interventions on the spectacle.
The controversy reached its peak in the closing stages when Argentina thought they had snatched a dramatic late try, only for it to be ruled out following another review.
Greenwood questioned the decision, adding: “Bedlam at the end – and I am often England’s most hyperbolic cheerleader – but that was clear and obvious my backside! There was nothing clear and obvious about that last try for Argentina being taken away. It goes a long way to putting people off rugby.”
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Biggar flips 10 question on head
Wales rugby legend Dan Biggar says the answer of who should play at No10 for the national team should be influenced by who starts at inside centre.
Steve Tandy has chopped and changed at fly-half during the latest Nations Championship campaign, having plumped for Dan Edwards during the Six Nations, with Scarlets man Sam Costelow injured.
Both 10s bring something different to the role, with Edwards enjoying more time in the jersey under Tandy’s stewardship to date. But with Costelow now fit again, the head coach has a decision to make over who should be the long-term incumbent.
Biggar, though, feels the pick at 12 is almost more important when trying to figure out who should be the number one at No. 10.
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Biggar said on ITV: “It’s a little bit like the Irish 10 debate, there is no real standout candidate.
“Dan Edwards and Sam Costelow are the two in the running and played the majority of the games.
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“Dan Edwards is very much more of a moment player so he’s going to give you real big moments and he’s going to be on the end of things whereas Costelow is a little bit more keep it in structure.
“I think the biggest question in answering that is who do Wales play at 12 and how do they play at 12?
“Do they continue with a ball player, a second ball player at 12 or do they use an Eddie James and use him as a little bit of a Jamie Roberts-type player to get them over the gainline?”
Pushed by his co-pundit Ronan O’Gara over who he would pick, Biggar added: “Who has got more credit in the bank, probably Dan Edwards, seeing as Mr O’Gara is putting me on the spot!”
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All Black’s son wins Open
By Carl Markham, Press Association
New Zealander Ryan Fox kept his head while all around him were losing theirs to make his major breakthrough at the age of 39 with a brilliant birdie at the last for a one-shot victory at the Open.
Fox, son of former All Blacks fly-half Grant, was one of only three players in the final 12 groups to shoot under par on a chaotic final day when Royal Birkdale finally showed its teeth after two days of back-to-back record-equalling rounds of 62.
After Cameron Young posted the nine-under target after a best-of-the-day 64 a couple of hours earlier, double figures was the aim for those out on the course.
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Fox headed down the last – Birkdale’s most difficult hole – needing a birdie to overtake the American, for so long the PGA Tour’s perennial runner-up, and hit his approach inside 12 feet.
He held his nerve, as he had done all day and punched the air as he became New Zealand’s second Open champion after Sir Bob Charles in 1963.
Fox comes from rich sporting stock; father Grant won rugby’s first World Cup in 1987, while his his grandfather Merv Wallace captained New Zealand at Test cricket.
Townsend happy with form
By Gavin McCafferty, Press Association
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Gregor Townsend reflected on the strides his Scotland side have made since their collapse against Argentina last autumn as they rounded off a long season with a comeback win over Fiji.
Scotland somehow let a 21-0 half-time lead slip when they lost to the Pumas at Murrayfield in November.
They soon lost in Italy in their Guinness Six Nations opener to leave Townsend facing criticism but they bounced back in impressive fashion and have now won five of their seven games since.
That included victories over Wales, England, France, Argentina and now a spirited Fiji team, who led by 10 points at half-time at Murrayfield on Saturday.
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Townsend and his players showed they could turn the momentum in their favour with a more direct second-half display.
Three replacements grabbed four tries – Jamie Dobie (two), Pierre Schoeman and Scott Cummings – to seal a 33-17 Nations Championship win.
Looking back over the season, Townsend said: “I still feel the Rome game was beneficial in terms of, we didn’t start well, but we came back. The weather was a factor.
“But I did feel that since Argentina, we’ve been able to show that we’re able to come back in games. South Africa, for example, last week, Italy and Wales being the clear ones.
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“But also being able to ride momentum as well. When we started well against France, we kept that going, same as England.
“That’s the part that I’ve been most impressed with and pleased that the players are able to handle momentum and notice it and make sure that we get it back quickly.
“Also, I feel that there’s a real alignment with the game. I think our supporters know what our identity is and our players do too and they know what is working for us.
“That’s not just playing an attack and moving the ball, it’s a certain way that they can shape a defence. And the kicking game too. We came on in huge strides there and that was something we had to go to.
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“From a coaching point of view, I’m really pleased with how we’ve responded to Argentina and what that’s done to us and made us a better team.
“Also, the leadership has been excellent. Sione (Tuipulotu) has been outstanding as a captain, but that leadership group has really grown this year.
“They prepared the team really well this week. The players that didn’t get a chance to play, like Sione and Rory Darge, even though he wasn’t training, he really led this week.
“It’s been a positive season and there’s still a lot of growth in us.
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“Little areas last week that we learned off South Africa and why they’re the world champs, we need to add those to our game and be a better team next season.”
Wales vs Japan VIP and hospitality tickets
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Seat Unique is offering VIP hospitality tickets for Wales’ Nations Championship matches against New Zealand and Japan in November.
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Slade nails his man
By Duncan Bech, Press Association Rugby Union Correspondent, Santiago del Estero
Henry Slade insists he was determined to nail his man as he emerged as England’s saviour against Argentina with a remarkable try-saving tackle at the death of a 31-24 victory in Santiago del Estero.
Slade raced to his team’s rescue three minutes into overtime with a “just get him out, any means necessary” challenge that edged Bautista Delguy’s finish in the right corner out of play.
Referee Angus Gardner awarded a try but it was overruled by video referee Brett Cronan in a lengthy and dramatic climax to an exhausting tour that has taken England to three continents.
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Had Delguy scored and the conversion been added, Argentina would have snatched a draw.
Slade said: “Just get him out, any means necessary. Thankfully I was able to do it.
“It was pretty close in the end, but it wasn’t as close as they made it out to be. Touch is touch, I guess.
“It’s a nerve-wracking situation. You don’t know what the refs and the TMOs are going to do.
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“From our perspective, all we could do was force him as wide as possible and keep scrapping right to the end.
“If we did that and they scored it, they’d have had to take a tough kick right from the touchline and we’d then put pressure on the kicker. That’s all we could do really.”
England finished their 25,000-mile Nations Championship expedition with two wins in three matches, a solid return given their brutal itinerary and their spirit is beyond dispute.
But their victory over Argentina was made far harder than it should have been following their customary disciplinary implosion, on this occasion losing four players to the sin bin to leave them playing nine minutes with 13 men.
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Injury meant they actually finished the game with just 12 on the field and twice they were forced to repel Pumas fightbacks, initially having raced 19-3 ahead.
It was total chaos at times with players streaming on and off the pitch and England have now been shown 14 yellow cards and one red in eight Tests in 2026.
Slade said: “I didn’t actually know what position I was in at the end. I was changing from 10, to 12, 13, 15 – I don’t know!
“The desire and the intent from the boys and the never-say-die attitude is unquestionable. It’s just that we have to couple that with better discipline.
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“Our discipline has been a thing we’re trying to work on because when we’ve got 15 on the pitch, we were a really, really top side.
“I can’t fault the effort and desire and intent of the boys, we’ve just got to find a way to keep everyone on the pitch. No one’s trying to get sin-binned, no one’s trying to get sent off.”
Swansea City are close to signing their third new addition of the summer
Swansea City are closing in on the signing of New Zealand winger Elijah Just.
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The Motherwell man played in all three games of the All Whites’ World Cup campaign this summer and would become the Swans’ third signing of the summer after Stephen Welsh and Moussa Yeo.
Our colleagues at the Daily Record report that Motherwell have agreed a club-record fee for the attacker, who will now head south to join Vitor Matos’ side.
They report a “multi-million deal”, with add-ons, has been rubber-stamped, which is said to eclipse Scotland international Lennon Miller’s sale to Udinese last summer.
That deal was said to eventually be worth £5million, but this will potentially eclipse that, according to the Record.
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In terms of timescale, matters could be wrapped up within the next 24-48 hours, with permission give to Just to travel to south Wales to thrash out details.
Just had been on Celtic’s radar this summer but it appears he has chosen to test himself in the Championship.
He only joined Motherwell last year, having spent the majority of his career playing in Denmark.
The 26-year-old was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland’s player of the year award and was a standout for the Steelmen last season.
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Just will arrived in SA1 to be greeted by familiar faces, having played with Marko Stamenic at international level and Welsh, who was on loan at Fir Park last term.
Matos has seen Ethan Galbraith leave the club for Stoke City this summer, while Goncalo Franco is now facing three months on the sidelines through injury.
Swansea are currently in Austria on pre-season tour.
Matos said he has been impressed with both of his new arrivals so far.
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“I’m really impressed with both, and they both played really well. It’s also good now that the team will also start to understand them as well,” he said after their draw with Bundesliga 2 side Holstein Kiel.
“And to understand their strengths and how we can use that in our game.
“It was also good to see players from the academy, a lot of new faces which allows us to know them better.”
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