English Football League Championship clubs have rejected the opportunity to implement a video assistant referee (VAR) challenge system for the upcoming season.

The proposed Football Video Support (FVS) system, a variant of VAR already utilised in other sports, was initially put forward by Professional Game Match Officials during the EFL’s annual meeting in March.

Under the FVS model, managers would have been granted two reviews per match, with the referee consulting different camera angles at a pitchside monitor.

A key feature was that successful challenges would not count against a team’s allocation.

However, following a subsequent EFL survey, the introduction of the system was opposed by the majority of clubs, the Press Association has learned.

Meanwhile, goal-line technology is set to continue its use in the Championship next season. There is also potential for its extension to League One, pending a vote on fully costed proposals scheduled for June.

VAR was introduced to the Premier League in 2019, but a recent survey by the Football Supporters’ Association discovered that three-quarters of top-flight fans are against its use.

Nearly 8,000 supporters, just over half of whom attend in excess of 15 home games a season, took part in the poll to assess attitudes to the technology.

The results demonstrated just how unpopular it has become, with more than 97 per cent of respondents opposing the statement that VAR makes watching football more enjoyable, while more than 90 per cent disagreed that it has made the matchgoing experience better.

Asked if they support the use of VAR in football, meanwhile, 75.71 per cent said they do not, with more than 70 per cent disagreeing that it has improved the overall accuracy of refereeing decisions. More than 90 per cent also believe the technology has removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations.

If you’re thinking of betting on NFL Draft odds for the No. 1 overall pick, don’t waste your time. 

At -20000 odds — meaning it takes a $200 bet to win one dollar — Fernando Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite. The Indiana quarterback is practically signed, sealed and delivered to the Las Vegas Raiders.

But things get more interesting from there.

“When someone is that big a favorite, the conversation seems to shift to pick No. 2. And it has,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. “That’s the most-bet prop, the biggest-bet market right now.”

Feazel helps break down the most notable 2026 NFL Draft odds, ahead of the Thursday-Saturday event in Pittsburgh.

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Information Age

Before addressing the No. 2 overall pick, it’s first worth noting how NFL Draft betting differs from what bookmakers typically face.

“In the trading department, we like to use math,” Feazel said, alluding to how odds are set for games. “But the NFL Draft is information-based. When a bet comes in on information, the difficulty is deciding whether it’s a rumor or if the bettor on the other side has information. And whether a rumor is true or not.

“When you take math out of the equation, it normally isn’t that helpful to us.”

Sharp bettors often heavily engage in NFL Draft odds, and they tend to do well. It’s a tough event for sportsbooks to win.

“We have won sometimes, and we’re certainly trying to win. But we’re not expecting a lot of the information to go our way,” Feazel said.

Two-Man Battle

The No. 2 overall pick is still very much in flux, although it’s clearly a two-man battle between Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey.

It’s so close, in fact, that as of Tuesday afternoon, Reese and Bailey are -115 co-favorites at Caesars. After those two, odds stretch out to +6000 for Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.

No surprise, information is affecting this NFL prop bet.

“It was starting to look like David Bailey was gonna be the No. 2 pick, so we moved him to the favorite. But then it was thought that the Jets were maybe trying to trade the pick,” Feazel said.

Don’t be surprised if Reese and Bailey’s odds continue to be volatile. And if a trade happens at No. 2, things could get much murkier.

“There could be someone who’s not even expected to be in the mix,” Feazel said.

QBs or Not QBs

Among the slew of NFL Draft prop bets available, one of the most popular is on the number of quarterbacks drafted in the first round.

This year, the expectations are quite low. Pretty much every sportsbook has the Over/Under at 1.5. However, the Over 1.5 is a growing favorite, now at odds of -225, with Under 1.5 a +175 underdog.

Mendoza is obviously a lock. The deciding factor is whether Alabama QB Ty Simpson is deemed first-round worthy.

“It’s kind of been going up and down. And it correlates to the price of Simpson to be drafted in the first round,” Feazel said.

In fact, it directly correlates. On the separate NFL Draft prop of players to be first-round picks, Simpson is -225.

However, there is a difference of opinion among bettors.

“It’s been two-way action, all based on speculation on Simpson,” Feazel said. “There are rumors that the Cardinals or someone else might be interested.”

Arizona has the No. 3 overall pick — which it certainly won’t use on Simpson — then the second pick of the second round, No. 34 overall. The thought is that the Cards might try to trade up from that No. 34 slot, into the first round, to draft Simpson.

But if you think Arizona holds pat and Simpson slips to Round 2, then there might be some betting value on Under 1.5 QBs. At +175, a $100 bet would net $175 profit (total payout $275).

More Popular Plays

Feazel said three more markets consistently draw attention in NFL Draft prop bets: players to be picked in the top 5, top 10 or the first round.

“Bettors are trying to find value at a plus-money price,” Feazel said. “One thing we saw recently, with the Giants sneaking back into the top 10, was interest on Jordyn Tyson, the wide receiver from Arizona State.”

Tyson had hamstring issues that kept him out of the NFL combine and ASU’s initial pro day. And previous injuries are a concern, as well, including a multi-ligament knee tear in 2022.

On Friday, though, he had a private workout that, by all accounts, went well. And the rumors are that the Giants are a strong possible suitor, after they traded Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the 10th pick.

“Early on, we had Tyson at +220 to go in the first 10 picks. Now, we’re at -375,” Feazel said of the wideout going from an underdog to a favorite in that market. “He’s expected to be picked early.”

Tyson’s top-10 prop ties into the market for the number of wide receivers to go in the first round. Feazel said that Caesars opened Over 5.5 as a modest -125 favorite, but those odds are now out to -190.

Also, Caesars opened the prop of offensive linemen drafted in the first round at 7.5, with odds of -115 on both the Over and Under — a pick ‘em. However, Over 7.5 is now a substantial -280 favorite.

“A lot of people are expecting a big run of offensive linemen, from picks 10 to 20,” Feazel said.

The Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Akwa Ibom Ibom State, Elder Paul Bassey, has reaffirmed the state’s strong support for Team Nigeria Judo following the arrival of the National contingent in Nairobi, Kenya, ahead of the 2026 African Senior Judo Championships scheduled to begin on April 24.

Leading Nigeria’s medal hopefuls are Akwa Ibom’s Enku Ekuta and Immaculata Ufot, whose inclusion in the squad has been described by the Commissioner as a reflection of the state’s growing footprint in elite sports development.

Bassey, a firm advocate of high-performance athlete development, noted that the state’s representatives departed with adequate preparation and carry the backing of both Akwa Ibom and the nation as they prepare for the continental showdown involving athletes from 35 African countries.

“When Team Nigeria steps onto the mats in Nairobi, they carry the hopes of over 200 million people, and we are proud that Akwa Ibom is strongly represented in that mission,” Bassey said. “Our prayers are with the entire team for a successful outing, a historic podium finish, and, most importantly, injury-free competition.”

He emphasized that the administration’s athlete-first policy remains central to its sports development agenda, ensuring sustained support for athletes representing Nigeria at international competitions.

Ekuta, competing in the -63kg category, demonstrates outstanding performance marked by strength, discipline, and precision. She consistently excels in competitions, showcasing tactical mastery, quick reflexes, and determination, earning respect through impressive victories and steady improvement on the judo mat. Ufot in the -52kg division, is regarded as one of the emerging talents in the national setup, earning her place through a highly competitive domestic pathway.

The African Senior Judo Championships, sanctioned by the African Judo Union (AJU), will serve as a key ranking tournament, with Nigeria’s performance expected to influence its standing on the continental medal table.

As competition approaches, the Ministry of Sports has continued to mobilize support for Team Nigeria, with confidence high that the Akwa Ibom duo will play a decisive role in the country’s quest for continental success.

A brutal Grand ⁠Depart for the ​2027 Tour de France Femmes will culminate in a historic team time trial through the streets of London, ​organisers said on Monday.

The Tour de France and the women‘s version will both begin in Britain in 2027 — the first time both races have started in the same foreign country in the same year.

The British start ​promises to ‌be a landmark moment for women’s cycling, with the three-day Grand Depart featuring ⁠demanding terrain in the hills of northern England before a showpiece finale in the capital.

After two days of punishing climbing in the Peak ‌District, the peloton will head south to London for an 18km team time trial ⁠that will conclude on The Mall, marking the first time the Tour de France Femmes has included the format.

“It’s a huge honour to come to such a special capital city ​like London and we wanted to create something that means we could spend ‌the whole day in the city,” Race Director Marion Rousse said at a press conference near London Bridge.

“The United Kingdom has already shown its passion for the Tour, and these stages will once again showcase the energy ‌of the crowds, the beauty of the landscapes and the growing importance of women’s cycling on the world stage.”

Route details of the first two ​stages from Leeds to Manchester and then Manchester to Sheffield were unveiled on Monday with the Grand Depart being compared to the memorable 2014 Tour de France that also began in Leeds and attracted ​massive crowds in Yorkshire and the Peak District.

A ‘lumpy’ opening stage of 85km on July 30 will ​be followed by a second stage taking in many ascents including the ​winding Snake Pass and featuring almost 3,000 metres of climbing.

Sheffield’s Cote de Jenkin Road — a leg-burning one-kilometre climb in Sheffield famously attacked by Italy’s ​Vincenzo Nibali in 2014 — will add to the stage two drama.

The detailed route of the London stage will be announced later this year.

Organisers anticipate the three days of the 2027 Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes will be the most attended women’s sporting event ever staged in Britain.

“Everyone remembers 2014 but maybe ⁠this could be bigger and better,” Lucy Jones, Project Director for Grand Depart GB, said. “We want to go out with a ⁠bang in London.”

The ​2027 men’s Tour de France Grand Depart will begin in Edinburgh with a second stage in the Lake District to Liverpool and a third day around Wales.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)

England footballer Jude Bellingham has bought a one per cent stake in The Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix, the Press Association understands.

The Real Madrid midfielder, who began his career with Birmingham, is thought to have invested around £800,000 in the Edgbaston-based team.

The Phoenix franchise was valued at around £82million after American investment fund Knighthead Capital acquired a 49 per cent stake during the sales process initiated by the England and Wales Cricket Board, organiser of The Hundred, last year.

County host club Warwickshire retained the other 51 per cent. It is understood Bellingham has bought around a 0.5 per cent stake from each party.

Bellingham, 22, is known to be a cricket lover and played the game for Hagley in Worcestershire as a junior.

As a footballer, he came through the youth ranks at Birmingham before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2020 and then signing for Real Madrid three years ago.

The deal, which was first reported by The Cricketer, is set to be officially confirmed on Wednesday.

The New York Mets, losers of 11 straight, are expected to activate Juan Soto and have him back in the lineup for Wednesday night’s game against the Minnesota Twins, manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday. Soto has not played since suffering a right calf strain on April 3.

Mendoza said Soto would go through a full day of baseball activity Tuesday and he’ll be back if all goes well.

“It definitely helps, but we cannot put all the pressure on one player,” the manager said. “We’ve got a lot of good players in there who, unfortunately, are going through it for quite a bit now. Yes, his presence in the lineup, nobody is going to deny that. But putting all the pressure of ‘oh, we have Juan Soto now and all of a sudden we’re going to start winning,’ that’s not fair for him either.” 

The Mets won their first three games without Soto, but have since lost the last 11 games. They averaged 4.38 runs per game with him in the starting lineup and just 2.64 runs per game without him. Nine times in the 14 games without Soto, the Mets scored two runs or fewer. It has been a major slog, offensively.

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Soto’s absence alone doesn’t explain the skid — the Mets have a lot of underperforming players — but his return will boost the offense and perhaps spark the team. They certainly need it. Soto authored a .355/.412/.516 batting line before his injury and he still leads their position players in WAR.

The 27-year-old Silver Slugger hit .263/.396/.525 with 43 home runs and 38 stolen bases last season, his first with the Mets. That earned him a third-place finish in the National League MVP voting. Soto joined the Mets on a record 15-year, $756 million contract in December 2024.

On the pitching side of things, the Mets are also calling up Christian Scott, who has been out since July 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Mendoza announced. Scott will start Thursday and David Peterson will remain in the bullpen, where he was shifted last rotation.

The Mets have the National League’s worst record at 7-15. No team in baseball history has lost 15 of their first 22 games and rallied to post a 90-win season.