“We’ve always wanted to do better than each other,” says Welsh boxer Garan Croft as he turns to his training partner.

Garan is older than his training partner – one minute older in fact.

For his training partner is identical twin brother Ioan and the 24-year-olds are pushing each other to achieve success.

“Whether we’re running, on one of the assault bikes or the vertical climb – we want to beat each other,” Garan adds.

“We’ve got to be separated in sparring sometimes.

“We’re twins, we’ve always been competitive, ask our parents.”

“But that’s a great asset to have in a training partner.”

The two will never fight each other – Ioan is a middleweight and Garan a super-welterweight.

They were described as “two very talented young fighters” by Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn upon signing with the promoters in February this year.

They both won on their Matchroom debuts in April – Ioan defeated Serbia’s Novak Radulovic before Garan saw off Marco Simmonds of England.

“It’s great to have that backing from Matchroom,” said Ioan.

“It’s everything that we’ve ever worked towards really. It gives us that platform to show how good we are.

“Our debuts with Matchroom were brilliant here in Manchester and looking forward to our next one now.

“Before, when we didn’t have the backing of Matchroom, we would get out of the ring and didn’t know what was next.

“Now it’s nice to have this path in front of us over the next few years and gives us that real incentive to work a little bit harder.”

For Garan, too, signing up with Matchroom has given him and Ioan the prospect of fighting for titles in the near future.

“It’s where any young boxer wants to be at the minute,” Garan said of the long-term deal with Matchroom.

“The opportunities are massive – it’s what people know and it’s what people are watching these days.

“I believe with their backing we can bring big nights of boxing back to Wales.

“That would be amazing and a dream come true. That’s the aim.”

The World Cup sees 48 nations divided into 12 groups for the first time in the tournament’s long history.

Co-hosts Mexico, USA and Canada are the top seeds in Groups A, B and D respectively, while Scotland are in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, and England are all the way down in Group L with Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

The top two sides in each group will qualify for the World Cup’s first ever round of 32, as will the eighth best third-place teams. Just three points could be enough for some teams to reach the knockout stages.

There will be 104 matches, up 40 since Qatar World Cup 2022, while Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo likely to play on this stage for the last time in their glittering careers.

Here are all the fixtures, results and latest group standings:

The World Cup began in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, the site of Diego Maradona’s most famous and infamous goals against England at the 1986 World Cup.

It was also the venue for two classic World Cup finals: Brazil’s win over Italy in 1970 which included Carlos Alberto’s iconic team goal to cap a 4-1 win; and Argentina’s 3-2 win over West Germany in 1986, where Jorge Burruchaga grabbed an 84th-minute winner.

Mexico and Canada will host 13 games in each, and the United States will host 78.

From the quarter-finals onwards, the US will host all of the remaining matches, with the final in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

Who will win the World Cup?

Football’s biggest question is back – and the debate is already heating up. England’s new golden generation, Argentina’s defending champions, France’s relentless depth and Spain’s evolving young side all have strong claims to glory at the World Cup.

Now it’s your turn: who do you think will lift the trophy?

Manchester United are reportedly set to be busy in the coming months as the club look to strengthen the squad ahead of the 2026/27 season

After finishing the 2025/26 campaign on a strong note, anticipation is already building for next season at Manchester United.

Back in the Champions League and boosted by new permanent head coach Michael Carrick, there is a growing sense of optimism around Old Trafford.

United are expected to be very active in the summer transfer window as they aim to improve the squad ahead of Carrick’s first full season in charge. Strengthening midfield is seen as the top priority, with the club targeting Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest, while a move for Ederson of Atalanta is also believed to be close to completion.

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Further adjustments across the squad are also anticipated, with both incoming and outgoing transfers expected as United continue reshaping the team. With that in mind, here are the latest Manchester United transfer developments.

Man Utd ‘changing’ Rashford strategy

The future of Marcus Rashford at Manchester United is reportedly shifting direction, with a permanent switch to Barcelona now looking increasingly likely.

Negotiations between the two clubs have been ongoing for months, but with Rashford’s £26million release clause now no longer active, a simple transfer agreement has effectively been removed from the table.

Rashford, who spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Camp Nou, had been keen to extend his stay in Spain. However, Barcelona’s recent £70m signing of Anthony Gordon has reduced their need for another major attacking arrival.

Although another loan deal has not been ruled out, the expiry of the clause means United can no longer rely on Barcelona to take Rashford – and his £325,000-per-week wages – off their hands.

Because of this, United are expected to take a more proactive approach in the market. Interest in Rashford remains strong, with Bayern Munich and several Premier League clubs reportedly tracking the situation closely following his productive loan spell, which produced 14 goals and 14 assists in Catalonia.

£28m deal ‘eyed’

Manchester United are reportedly considering a move for Antonee Robinson, with the Fulham left back emerging as a serious option as the club look to strengthen defensive depth.

Robinson, 28, has been a reliable performer since joining Craven Cottage in 2020 and is now being viewed as a possible long-term answer at left back, especially given uncertainty surrounding Luke Shaw, whose contract is due to expire next summer.

With Tyrell Malacia also expected to leave and Shaw’s lingering injury concerns, reinforcing that position has become a key priority for United. Lewis Hall of Newcastle is also being monitored, but Robinson is considered the more affordable option, with reports suggesting Fulham may accept a fee of around £28m.

Robinson is understood to be open to a move to Old Trafford, although it remains unclear whether Fulham would sanction a sale, particularly with a managerial change underway following Marco Silva’s departure.

A new surprise twist has emerged ahead of the showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

After being linked to a clash with one another for over a decade, Fury and Joshua are set to finally do battle later this year, provided that both men can successfully come through obstacles in the interim.

Joshua will compete in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 25 against Kristian Prenga, with that bout taking place three months after Fury had ended his 16-month retirement with a unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.

It appeared that Fury would then sit out and wait for the clash with Joshua, but he has now opted to fight again, with it initially expected that it will take place on a Frank Warren event in Dublin in August.

That could be about to change, after ‘The Gypsy King’ was in attendance at the UFC White House event on Sunday to make the shock announcement that he is set to begin working with Dana White.

“I’ll let Dana do the speaking and do the announcement. It’s a massive announcement. I’m very excited for this fight [with Joshua]. It’s been over a decade in the making. For whatever reason it hasn’t happened.

“There’s a potential fight in August and maybe at the end of the year it happens [with Joshua]. I’m looking forward to fighting whoever they put in front of me and getting back to what I do best, winning.”

UFC CEO White has entered the boxing world this year with his Zuffa Boxing promotion, and has been involved in a number of back and forths with the fellow promoters, most notably Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn.

White stated last month that he was set to be the promoter for the Fury vs. Joshua event, with both Hearn and Queensberry’s Warren denying that claim, but the shock announcement from Fury is now set to add even more fuel to that fire.

It’s hard to believe the 2026 World Cup will be Jonathan Tah’s first. The 30-year-old is coming off the best season of his career and has a vast amount of experience with over 300 Bundesliga appearances. His path to the top though, has been far from straightforward, and that journey is one he appreciates today.

“A World Cup is something special and I’m so excited to be at the first,” Tah said in the days ahead of Germany’s opener. “I felt how big this tournament is and I’m very grateful to be here. It means a lot. I spoke to my family and friends, and they have noticed that special atmosphere is missing somewhat so I hope German fans bring out their flags soon, and we can of course help with that by playing well.”

Tah has certainly been doing that. He is one of the most reliable defenders in Europe, as his first season at Bayern Munich proved. He helped seal a domestic double, and, according to Opta, finished the Bundesliga season with the highest pass completion rate (96%), a record for players since data collection began nearly 20 years ago. That statistic might not suggest he’s always the most progressive defender with the ball at his feet, but he’s not always the conservative defender. Against Atalanta in the Champions League this season, he completed 24 long passes into the opponent’s half, which was a competition record for the campaign. His ability to pick the pass from distance is perhaps underrated.

“Jonah [Tah] has made a huge jump [in development terms] in the last three, four years,” said Nico Schlotterbeck, the Dortmund defender who is Tah’s central defensive partner for Germany. “He showed his quality in the USA game. He’s very strong in one-on-one’s.”

Slow and steady wins the race

Domestically, Tah rose to the scene as a 17-year-old in Hamburg. After being named Germany’s best under-19 player in 2015, the Hamburg native joined Leverkusen and soon after made his Germany debut in early 2016 under then-national team coach Joachim Löw. He was an injury replacement in the Euro 2016 squad, but never played a minute in Germany’s run to the semifinals. At that point, he looked destined for greatness but the consistency that makes him so famous now eluded him in the years that followed.

As a result, his breakthrough in the Germany team never really came. He made the provisional 2018 squad, but not the final cut. He wasn’t in the squad for the following Euros or the World Cup in Qatar. It was only after helping Leverkusen to an historic domestic, undefeated double that he was one of the first names on teamsheet for Germany’s home Euros two years ago. Since then though, he has hit and maintained strong form. After being a mainstay during qualifying, Tah scored his first goal for Germany in March and he enters this tournament as one of the more formidable defenders to face.

Connection to African roots

The son of an Ivorian father and German mother, Tah will have to contend with both hearts when Germany face the Ivory Coast in their second match.

“I’m really looking forward to that game,” Tah said. “I grew up in Germany, but through my Dad I got to know the culture. I feel connected to the country. I visited in recent years, saw my grandma and other family members. It will be special for that reason.”

For a player who often meditates in the morning, it’s clear his mind is as settled as his form even in the face of an emotional game. This is Tah’s moment, and his teammates know it too.

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“They [Bayern Munich] had an exceptional season, I have a good left foot, we are in form and we don’t need to hide from other central defensive partnerships in the world,” Schlotterbeck said.

“Jonah [Tah] gives the commands. He’s louder than me. He calls the line. He speaks and coaches and if we do it the way we have in the last few games, then we will be top,” Schlotterbeck added.

For Tah, being Germany’s key defender, the World Cup has been a long time coming.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

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A former AEW National Champion has faced his share of ups and downs in the Jacksonville-based promotion. Jurassic Express’s Jack Perry quickly became popular among fans after the inception of the company. However, things became difficult once they split. Marko Stunt had left AEW later, Luchasaurus became Christian Cage’s henchman, and Jungle Boy was establishing himself as a singles star.

During that phase in 2023, Jack Perry crossed paths with CM Punk. The two even had an infamous backstage altercation, which led to the Second City Saint’s firing and Jungle Boy’s suspension. After returning from suspension, he introduced the ‘Scapegoat’ gimmick. While it drew attention in its early phase, it didn’t go over with the crowd. He dropped the character in 2026 and is now once again a top babyface of the company. He has also reunited with Luchasaurus.

Jack Perry became National Champion a few months ago and had a short reign with the gold. He lost it to Mark Davis a few months ago. Not only that, the Don Callis Family member went on to eliminate him from the Owen Hart Foundation tournament quarterfinals.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter‘s Bryan Alvarez said Jack Perry’s contract is set to end soon, and he is currently negotiating a new deal with All Elite Wrestling.

Veteran slammed AEW for releasing footage of Jack Perry and CM Punk

While speaking on Gabby AF, D’Von Dudley addressed Tony Khan, airing the backstage fight between Perry and Punk a few years ago at All In 2023. The WWE veteran said that Tony Khan aired the ‘dirty laundry’ for ‘cheap ratings’.

“I’m not in AEW, so I don’t really know what’s going on there, but I don’t think it should have been appropriate to air something like that, even though it happened months ago…. that’s something that you just don’t air out. That’s your dirty laundry. You keep that to yourself. The problem was handled. Punk moved on, now it’s time for AEW to move on. Jack Perry is somewhere in Japan and let’s just leave it like that. ‘Oh, well, we need to expose this because Punk needs to be exposed.’ No, you did it for a cheap rating. I’m sorry. I’m not the only one that feels that way. There’s a lot of AEW hardcore fans that feel the same way,” he said.

It will be interesting to see whether the former National Champion renews his deal with the company.