Gary Lineker has admitted that he would feel “slightly concerned” if he were still working in football at the BBC today given the substantial cost involved in securing rights to broadcast major tournaments.
Lineker, 65, said he believes there still remains “a place” for terrestrial broadcasting, adding that television networks must carry on adapting to a changing industry.
The former England captain, who fronted Match Of The Day for more than 25 years, departed the BBC in May last year following criticism over the way he expressed his political opinions on his social media accounts.
Speaking to ITV News, he said: “Things are changing and obviously the BBC, ITV, etc, need to work out and change with it to a degree, which I think they are doing – but I still think there’s a place at the moment.”
Lineker added: “But things do change and it will be interesting to see, particularly the area of sport, whether they can still justify having the rights for major tournaments.
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Lineker co-founded the media production company Goalhanger, which creates The Rest Is… series of podcasts (PA)
“Things will shift in that sense as well. So sporting rights, I think I would be slightly concerned if I was still at the BBC doing football, in terms of them being able to afford the rights for major tournaments.”
The Broadcasting Act 1996 requires Ofcom to designate a list of so-called “crown jewels” to ensure that coverage of certain major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games and the men’s and women’s football World Cups, is widely available to audiences across the UK for free.
BBC Sport made a deal to share the cost of live coverage for the men’s Fifa World Cup in 2026 and 2030 with ITV.
Lineker said: “At the minute, one of the reasons that the terrestrial channels can afford it is because there’s not really a marketplace because of the rules that we have, the listed rules that certain games, World Cup games, etc, have to be on terrestrial television.
“So I think that’s something they’ll be wary of in the future.”
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Lineker co-founded the media production company Goalhanger, which creates The Rest Is… series of podcasts.
In June, the business was named as Britain’s fastest-growing private company after recording £37.9 million in sales in 2025.
Lineker said: “The whole business has been an unqualified success really and I’m not quite sure it’s how it’s happened, but it’s subtly joyous and it’s probably given me as much satisfaction as anything I’ve done in my life.”
He added: “There’s nothing like football, right, there’s nothing like scoring a big goal in a big game. You cannot replace that, but the reason it was like that was because you never knew whether it would happen again.
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“But aside from that feeling of exhilaration, this has probably given me more satisfaction than anything.”
It showcases the many benefits people can get from its leisure facilities
The narrative shifts focus beyond basic exercise to emphasise life skills, mental wellbeing, social connections, and the You+ wellness membership.
The strategy spans TV, digital hubs, PR and customer communications
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Everyone Active has launched new campaign – backed by TV advertising for the first time – which will show the national reach of the company while messaging the many ways its leisure facilities contribute to people’s lives.
The Much More campaign aims to showcase how the leisure centres provide places for people to learn new skills, build confidence, make friends, improve their wellbeing, and create lasting memories.
The first-ever national tv advertising campaign represents a significant investment in the brand’s marketing activity. It was developed in partnership with creative agency, Wraith, and focuses on the everyday experiences taking place across Everyone Active facilities and the impact they have. For example, swimming lessons building confidence and friendships (Much More Than a Swimming Lesson).
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The Much MoreThan a Gym Membership’ ad showcases the broader role that Everyone Active plays in supporting people’s physical and mental wellbeing, including the benefits of its You+ wellness membership.
Alison Ford, commercial director at Everyone Active, said: “We have made a significant investment in this campaign because we want to demonstrate the breadth of what modern leisure provision can offer and the positive emotions that can come from being active in our facilities. Whether it is a sense of achievement, greater confidence, happiness or connection, we’re proud to help people achieve much more in everyday life.
“At its heart, Much More is about changing the way people think about leisure and ensuring the Everyone Active brand resonates with our customers beyond their time in our centres. We want to be a brand that is part of people’s everyday lives, reflecting the positive impact that being active can have on how people feel, live and connect with others.”
The campaign will roll out across Everyone Active’s customer communications, digital channels, online campaign hub, social media, PR, TV advertising and in-centre activity. Social promotion will also take place across the organisation’s leisure facilities, with local teams bringing the Much More proposition to life through stories and experiences from their own communities.
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Everyone Active managing director, Duncan Jefford, will be among the line-up of speakers at the all keynote HCM Summit taking place in London on 22 September. Tickets are available here.
Oluwaseun Ogunsakin ends Long Nigerian wait at US Open Juniors
Oluwaseun Ogunsakin has made another big breakthrough for Nigerian tennis after defeating top seed Felix Roussel 6-3, 6-4 to qualify for the US Open Junior Championships main draw.
The Nigerian teenager had already beaten Poland’s Tymon Litwic 6-3, 6-0 in the opening round of qualifying before producing another impressive performance against Roussel.
The last documented Nigerian to make it to the US Open junior event goes back decades. Now, Ogunsakin has put Nigeria back on the US Open junior singles stage.
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The teenager is also enjoying a remarkable 2026 season. He has already competed at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, reaching the Wimbledon boys’ singles main draw and the doubles semifinals. He is now set to compete in the US Open Junior main draw, which begins September 6.
For us Nigerian tennis fans, Seun Shark is giving us something to cheer about in New York.
The Trojans shut out the Bulldogs 39-0 Friday at home in Los Angeles, leading wire-to-wire. USC’s Jayden Maiava threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns, and Trent Mosley caught two touchdown passes to go with his 104 receiving yards. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt recorded 102 receiving yards for Southern California. Alex Graham led the Trojans with four tackles, Prophet Brown pulled down an interception, and Floyd Boucard recovered a fumble. K’Vion Thunderbird paced FS with nine stops. The Trojans defense sacked FS’s quarterback five times. USC outgained FS in total yards 552-116.
Up Next: USC faces Louisiana at home, and Fresno State plays Sacramento State at home
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No. 7 Miami 45, Stanford 6
Stanford Stadium
The Hurricanes obliterated the Cardinal 45-6 Friday on the road in Stanford. Miami’s Darian Mensah threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns. The Tree’s Davis Warren passed for 214 yards. Malachi Toney caught three touchdown passes to go with his 229 receiving yards for Miami (FL). Marquise Lightfoot led the Hurricanes with nine tackles. Matt Rose paced the Cardinal with 12 stops. Miami outgained The Tree in total yards 544-299. It was a dominant performance by the Hurricanes from start to finish.
Up Next: Stanford has a bye
No. 10 Oklahoma 51, UTEP 0
Memorial Stadium (Norman, OK)
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The Sooners blanked the Miners 51-0 Friday at home in Norman, leading from start to finish. OU’s John Mateer threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns, and Lloyd Avant rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Sategna caught a touchdown pass to go with his 76 receiving yards for Oklahoma. The Sooners’ Tate Sandell kicked two field goals. Reggie Powers III led Oklahoma with seven tackles, and Taylor Wein recovered a fumble. Donavan Howard paced UTEP with six stops. The Sooners defense sacked UTEP’s quarterback 3.5 times. OU outgained UTEP in total yards 401-198.
Up Next: UTEP takes on Texas Southern at home
San José State 27, Eastern Michigan 21
Rynearson Stadium
The Spartans surprised the Eagles 27-21 Friday on the road in Ypsilanti, in a back-and-forth battle with six lead changes. SJSU’s Luke Weaver threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns, and Jabari Bates gained 119 yards on the ground. EMU’s Amareon Blue rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Hoch caught two touchdown passes to go with his 115 receiving yards for San José State. Dylan Lee led SJSU with nine tackles, and Lee hauled in a pick. Zach Mowchan paced Eastern Michigan with 11 stops. SJSU outgained EMU in total yards 453-281.
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Up Next: San José State faces Cal Poly at home
Thursday, September 3, 2026
No. 21 Utah 66, Idaho 14
Rice-Eccles Stadium
The Utes hammered Idaho 66-14 Thursday at home in Salt Lake City, leading wire-to-wire. Utah’s Devon Dampier tossed three touchdown passes, and Byrd Ficklin tossed two touchdown passes. LaMarcus Bell rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown for Utah, and Wayshawn Parker hauled in two touchdown receptions. The Utes’ Braden Pegan caught a touchdown pass to go with his 81 receiving yards. Jackson Bennee led Utah with five tackles, Trey Reynolds pulled down an interception, and Rabbit Evans recovered a fumble. Ryder Bordner paced Idaho with nine stops. Utah outgained Idaho in total yards 633-225.
Up Next: Utah plays Arkansas at home
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Colorado 14, Georgia Tech 13
Bobby Dodd Stadium
The Buffaloes upended the Yellow Jackets 14-13 Thursday on the road in Atlanta, in a back-and-forth battle with three lead changes. GT’s Alberto Mendoza passed for 237 yards, and Jordan Allen recorded 113 receiving yards. Aidan Birr kicked two field goals for Georgia Tech. Rahkeem Smith returned a kickoff 130 yards for a touchdown for the Yellow Jackets. Randon Fontenette led CU with eight tackles, and Boo Carter recovered a fumble. Kyle Efford paced GT with 13 stops. The Buffaloes defense stuffed GT behind the line of scrimmage on 44.4% of rushing attempts.
Alex Dunne produced a decisive final lap to qualify third for Sunday’s Formula 2 feature race at Monza.
Alex Dunne will start the Formula 2 feature race at Monza from the second row after securing third place in Friday’s qualifying session.
The Offaly driver completed his fastest lap in 1:31.472 for Rodin Motorsport, finishing 0.146 seconds behind pole-sitter Rafael Câmara.
Câmara led an Invicta Racing one-two with a time of 1:31.326. Joshua Dürksen claimed second in 1:31.383, just 0.057 seconds ahead of Dunne.
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Dunne recovers from difficult opening runs
Third place represented an impressive recovery after Dunne encountered problems during his early qualifying attempts.
His first serious effort was compromised by a lock-up at the Ascari chicane, sending the Rodin car across the gravel. A subsequent run ended when he went too deep into the opening corner and abandoned the lap.
That left the Irish driver needing to respond while the order continued to change around him. Dunne eventually put together a lap good enough for fourth without receiving the full benefit of a tow around the high-speed Italian circuit.
The final runs began with just over five minutes remaining. Dunne initially moved into second place before Dürksen completed his lap and pushed him back to third.
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Monza Qualifying Top Three
1. Rafael Câmara, Invicta Racing: 1:31.326 2. Joshua Dürksen, Invicta Racing: 1:31.383 3. Alex Dunne, Rodin Motorsport: 1:31.472
Strong pace throughout Friday
Dunne’s qualifying performance followed an encouraging free-practice session in which he set the fastest time. Although practice cannot perfectly predict qualifying pace, it demonstrated that Rodin had arrived at Monza with a competitive package.
The nature of the qualifying session made Dunne’s third place particularly valuable. With two early attempts disrupted, there was little room left for another error when the field switched to fresh tyres for the closing minutes.
Instead, Dunne delivered when the pressure was greatest and placed himself in contention for a significant haul of championship points.
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The Irishman entered the Monza weekend fourth in the Formula 2 standings. With the season approaching its decisive stage, converting his front-row pace into a clean feature race will be the next priority.
Monza’s long straights and heavy braking zones can produce unpredictable racing, but third on the grid gives Dunne a strong platform from which to attack Sunday’s main event.
Explosive opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz showcased his fine form ahead of the upcoming T20I series against India, scoring a quick-fire 35-ball 54 in Guyana Amazon Warriors’ (GAW) win over the Jamaica Kingsmen in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026. The Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter led the way in the run chase for his team at the Providence Stadium.
GAW were set a target of 160 runs, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz got into the act straightaway by scoring consecutive boundaries in the second over to set the tempo. The opener largely played second fiddle in the powerplay as Mavendra Dindyal took on the bowling.
After Dindyal’s dismissal in the fifth over, Gurbaz unshackled the chains in the last over of the powerplay. The right-handed batter struck three boundaries in quick time to get 17 runs out of the over, before settling in the middle overs. He reached his fifty off 31 deliveries in style after smashing in-form spinner Vitel Lawes for a six down the ground. He responded to the milestone with a passionate celebration alongside his batting partner, Shai Hope. Have a look at the moment right here:
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed a couple of overs later, but GAW were in a relatively comfortable position in the run chase after the openers’ solid platform. The hosts reached the target comfortably with 16 deliveries to spare to record their fifth win in a row.
GAW are now placed second in the points table behind Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (ABF), who have played four more matches at this stage of the campaign.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been in red-hot form in 2026 in T20 cricket
The 24-year-old is the leading run-scorer among Afghanistan players in the shortest format this year, having excelled in both franchise and international cricket. He has scored 947 runs in 24 matches at an average of 41.17 and a strike rate of 179.69, including two hundreds and seven fifties.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz is likely to play a key role in the upcoming T20I series against India, scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 13. The three-match affair will be hosted at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
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Lord Remlap, an emerging sprinter from the country circuits, has strongly asserted his credentials as a major contender for the Kosciuszko, extending his perfect winning record with a hard-fought Highway Handicap victory at Randwick.
The four-year-old gelding has now firmed into $8 for the prestigious October feature, having made it four wins from as many starts on Saturday, despite facing a wide passage from his challenging outside draw.
Trainer Scott Singleton admitted to having reservations about the barrier before the race but was never worried during the event, such was his confidence in the horse.
“I never felt panicked,” Singleton said. “I’ve just got a bit of faith in him. I haven’t had too many this promising, and we thought that even before he had a race start. He’s still not the finished article yet, but he’s big, he eats up, and he will come on from that. Bright future for him.”
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The timing of Lord Remlap’s Highway Handicap (1200m) victory is particularly opportune, as the sweepstake for the Kosciuszko will be drawn on Wednesday.
The gelding, whose other victories were recorded at Scone (twice) and on Randwick’s Kensington track earlier this year, is almost certain to capture the attention of slot holders, especially given his prominent position in the market.
Singleton confirmed that they were eager to race and had been targeting this goal for a significant period.
“We gave him a break and brought him back at the right time of year, just with the hunch that he is good enough,” he stated. “The timing is right to set him up in the right way.”
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Singleton’s previous runner, Melody Again, finished eighth in the Kosciuszko (1200m) last year, but he believes Lord Remlap will be better suited to the sprint distance.
“I had Melody Again in it last year but the 1200 was just a bit short for her,” he explained. “This horse, I’ve always felt he’s the most promising horse I’ve had. Whether it turns out that way once he does a bit of racing time will tell. But I think he’s definitely better than Highways.”
Ridden by Mikayla Weir, Lord Remlap ($5) secured the win by a short neck over Move She Can ($91), with Bengal ($41) a further half-length behind in third.
With Lord Remlap now a strong Kosciuszko contender, consider these online bookmakers for your racing bets.
Nxled’s Jonah Sabete Escamillan during a game against Ho Chi Minh in the PVL Invitational Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Jonah Sabete-Escamillan continues to display her well-rounded game for the Nxled Chameleons, who remain in finals contention despite the absence of three-time MVP Brooke Van Sickle in the PVL Invitational Conference.
Four teams are still fighting for the two finals slots, with Creamline and EST Cola tied at 3-1, while Nxled and PLDT knotted at 2-2, with the former having a 7-6 edge in the FIVB point system tiebreak.
The Chameleons need to win their final elimination game against the Farm Fresh Foxies in three or four sets on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and will hope for either Creamline or EST Cola to lose to make it to the championship match.
“It’s a big responsibility because Brooke isn’t here, so I need to step up. We’re also short on open spikers right now. There are only three of us, so we really can’t afford for anyone to get injured because we need someone to rotate in, especially with our games coming one after another,” said Escamillan in Filipino.
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The veteran spiker also left everything on the floor two days ago against EST Cola with 26 points on 15 kills, six blocks, and five aces, while also collecting 21 digs and 13 excellent receptions. But Nxled blew a 20-12 margin in the fourth set and wasted their 24 kill blocks in a five-set meltdown against the Thais.
“It was really painful. We were already physically tired, but we’re used to these close, hard-fought games. We just told each other that we had to endure whatever happened in this game. We just held on and relied on each other,” said Escamillan.
Nxled also blew a 19-10 fourth-set lead against Ho Chi Minh, as Dang Thi Kim Thanh made it a one-point game, 22-21, but Escamillan conspired with MJ Phillips to refuse to suffer another collapse and complete the win.
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“We were already close in that game, but we just lacked the finishing touches. MJ and my other teammates kept saying that we needed to win this game because everyone was really tired. We just held on and kept fighting,” she said.
Nxled, composed of the core of defunct Petro Gazz, eyes a PVL Finals comeback against their former coach Koji Tsuzurabara, whose Foxies remain dangerous despite already being out of the title race.
“Knowing Coach Koji, he’ll definitely study every player. He knows most of us. We just have to prepare ourselves because we know the next game will be another hard fight,” Escamillan said.
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Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong has put the transformation of Sentosa and
neighbouring Pulau Brani firmly on the national agenda, confirming plans for new attractions, a
resort, land reclamation and a new transport system as part of the creation of Greater Sentosa.
Jim Gavin has been backed from 16/1 to even money in a dramatic Galway senior football manager betting move following the departure of Pádraic Joyce.
Jim Gavin has emerged as the clear betting favourite to become the next Galway senior football manager after an extraordinary move in the market.
The six-time All-Ireland-winning former Dublin manager was initially available at 16/1 following Pádraic Joyce’s resignation on Thursday evening.
However, the live market on Friday subsequently listed Gavin at even money, ahead of Galway under-20 manager Kevin Johnson at 7/4 and Westmeath manager Mark McHugh at 2/1.
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The dramatic change does not confirm that Gavin has been approached or is interested in the position. Managerial betting markets can be relatively small and may react sharply to speculation or a limited number of wagers.
Jim Gavin cut from 16/1 to evens
Gavin’s move is comfortably the most striking development since the first list of possible candidates was released.
A price of 16/1 represents a raw implied probability of approximately six per cent. Even money represents 50 per cent before the bookmaker’s margin is considered.
The 55-year-old has not managed at senior inter-county level since leaving Dublin in November 2019. His record, however, makes him one of the most successful managers in Gaelic football history.
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Gavin led Dublin to six All-Ireland senior titles, including the historic five-in-a-row completed in 2019. Dublin also won seven consecutive Leinster championships and five National League titles during his seven seasons in charge.
More recently, he chaired the Football Review Committee responsible for developing the new Gaelic football rules. Gavin has previously spoken about his family roots in the west of Ireland, although his strongest documented family ties are to west Clare.
Next Galway Manager: Friday Live Prices
Jim Gavin: EVS
Kevin Johnson: 7/4
Mark McHugh: 2/1
Tony McEntee: 5/1
James Horan: 7/1
Kevin O’Brien: 15/2
Eamonn Fitzmaurice: 8/1
Stephen Rochford: 10/1
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Mark McHugh continues remarkable market move
Mark McHugh has also attracted considerable support. The Donegal All-Ireland winner was reportedly introduced at 25/1 before shortening to 5/1 in the first major market update. He was subsequently listed at just 2/1 in Friday’s live prices.
McHugh’s reputation has risen significantly during his first season as an inter-county manager. He guided Westmeath to their second Leinster senior football title in May, defeating Dublin by 2-28 to 0-26 after extra-time at Croke Park.
His availability would be an obvious question, given the success he has enjoyed with Westmeath and the fact that preparations for the 2027 season are approaching.
Johnson shortens as O’Brien drifts
Kevin Johnson has shortened from 7/2 to 7/4 and remains the leading candidate with an existing role inside the Galway structure.
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The Sligo native was appointed Galway under-20 football manager in 2025. He previously led Corofin to consecutive Galway senior championships in 2023 and 2024, Ballintubber to back-to-back Mayo titles and Tourlestrane to a Sligo championship.
Former Corofin manager Kevin O’Brien has moved in the opposite direction. O’Brien and Johnson began as 7/2 joint-favourites, but O’Brien had drifted to 15/2 by the time of Friday’s live market.
O’Brien nevertheless possesses an exceptional record, having managed Corofin to three consecutive All-Ireland club titles during a six-year reign.
Tony McEntee and Fitzmaurice backed
Tony McEntee has been cut substantially from 16/1 to 5/1. The former Sligo manager is currently part of Conor Laverty’s Down management team and previously worked with Mayo under Stephen Rochford.
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Former Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice has also shortened sharply, moving from 20/1 to 8/1.
James Horan and Stephen Rochford have drifted. Horan moved from 5/1 to 7/1, while Rochford went from 6/1 to 10/1.
Galway appointment process still to begin
Galway GAA have said that a process to appoint the next senior football manager will be established shortly.
Joyce stepped down after seven seasons despite having two years remaining on his term. He leaves after guiding Galway to four Connacht titles and All-Ireland final appearances in 2022 and 2024.
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The betting has changed dramatically since his departure, but the county board’s formal process will ultimately determine which candidates are genuinely available and interested.
For now, the market has delivered a remarkable early storyline: Jim Gavin has travelled from 16/1 outsider to even-money favourite in less than a day.
Betting prices are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.
Terence Crawford and Jaron Ennis have never shared the ring, but their rivalry has continued to gather momentum as the two Americans exchanged words during the DAZN broadcast of Andy Ruiz Jr’s comeback against Damian Knyba.
The pair have been linked for years, dating back to Crawford’s time as undisputed welterweight champion when Ennis was emerging as one of the division’s most dangerous contenders. A fight never materialised, with Crawford instead vacating the belts and moving to super-welterweight to beat Israil Madrimov before a jump to super-middleweight to defeat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. He retired undefeated and a champion in five divisions.
While Crawford has publicly stated that he wants to see ‘Boots’ do well, he has also offered some criticism. He previously argued that Ennis was being given too much credit for the Zayas victory and warned that his tendency to exchange could prove costly against the likes of Fundora or Vergil Ortiz Jr. He has also backed Fundora to beat Ennis and suggested Ortiz would punish the openings he has seen in the Philadelphia fighter’s game.
The tension resurfaced during Friday night’s Ruiz-Knyba broadcast, with Crawford making it clear that he believes he would have had too much for Ennis had they ever met. He also argued that ‘Boots’ will only receive the recognition he is seeking if he proves himself against elite opposition at 154lbs, specifically naming Ortiz and Fundora.
The exchange adds another chapter to a rivalry that seems likely to remain in the debate territory. Crawford appears content in retirement, while Ennis remains focused on cleaning out the super-welterweight division.
For now, the chances of them settling the debate in the ring appear remote. But with both men clearly willing to keep discussing the other, the argument over how a fight between them would have unfolded is unlikely to disappear any time soon.
Ennis is reportedly close to inking a unification deal with Kelly, which could take place towards the end of this year.
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