Madonna Tottenham Hotspur Stadium WSL appearance drew attention on Sunday afternoon as the pop icon watched Tottenham Hotspur Women face Chelsea Women.
The 67-year-old pop icon sat in the stands wearing a black coat and sunglasses. Meanwhile, Chelsea secured the away win and continued their strong league form. Madonna attended the match in a private capacity and did not make a public appearance.
Earlier, she had visited the club for a different reason. The day before the WSL match, Madonna watched an under-14 Tottenham Hotspur academy game featuring her twin daughters, Estere and Stella. Both are part of Spurs’ youth setup.
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Madonna began her music career in 1979 and remains one of the most influential figures in pop history. Over the years, she has released multiple chart-topping albums and singles and won seven Grammy Awards.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced a sweeping overhaul of the sport’s global calendar from 2027, confirming an expanded World Tour structure, a significantly increased prize pool, and new competition formats designed to drive badminton’s long-term global growth. The reforms form part of BWF’s wider commercial and broadcast strategy following the extension of its partnership with Infront through to 2034.
World Tour expanded to 36 tournaments
At the heart of the changes is a restructured BWF World Tour that will feature 36 tournaments across a six-tier system. These include the season-ending World Tour Finals, five Super 1000 events, five Super 750 tournaments, nine Super 500 events, eight Super 300 tournaments, and eight Super 100 events. Notably, Super 100 tournaments will be integrated into the main World Tour for the first time, broadening the competitive pathway for players.
The five Super 1000 tournaments will be staged across Asia and Europe and will adopt an expanded format. Singles events will feature 48 players competing in a group stage followed by knockout rounds, while doubles competitions will consist of 32-pair knockout draws. Each Super 1000 event will be played over 11 days across two weekends, with all matches broadcast globally.
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Major boost to broadcast output
As part of the revamped calendar, the number of TV-produced badminton matches will double from 1,410 to around 3,000 across all BWF tournaments. The governing body believes the expanded broadcast footprint will enhance the sport’s visibility and provide greater value to broadcasters, sponsors, and fans worldwide.
Prize money set for significant increase
BWF confirmed that the total annual prize pool on the World Tour will rise to approximately $26.9 million. Under the new structure, Super 1000 tournaments will offer $2 million in prize money, while Super 750 events will carry $1.1 million. Super 500 tournaments will distribute $560,000, Super 300 events $290,000, and Super 100 tournaments $140,000.
The federation said the revised prize money model is aimed at ensuring fairer rewards for players while supporting sustainable careers at the highest level of the sport.
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Changes to World Championships and team events
From 2027, the BWF World Championships will introduce a group-stage phase before the knockout rounds, guaranteeing every player at least two matches. In addition, the Sudirman Cup Finals and the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals will be expanded to include more teams, increasing global representation in the sport’s flagship team competitions.
Hosts confirmed for 2027–2030 cycle
BWF has confirmed the hosts for the revamped World Tour from 2027 to 2030, although the venue for the World Tour Finals will be announced at a later date. The federation said the long-term planning provides greater stability for players, organisers, and commercial partners.
BWF officials said the reforms are aimed at building a future-ready competition framework, with a stronger focus on players, enhanced broadcast storytelling, and a more globally competitive product that reflects badminton’s ambitions in the modern sports landscape.
David Lloyd’s Sports Gardens will include a mix of play and sport / David Lloyd Sports Gardens
David Lloyd is back in the market with a new concept, the Real David Lloyd’s Sports Gardens.
In a message on social media, Lloyd said he is trademarking the name Real David Lloyd, and that he has big plans for his new concept which is “light years in front” of other concepts in the market.
Real David Lloyd’s Sports Gardens will be an indoor playground for all ages, blending sport, technology and discovery. Pickleball, padel, volleyball and basketball will be mixed with simulators, climbing walls, zipwires and a tag arena, as well as food and beverage offerings.
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Sites are planned in Boca Raton Florida, as well as a number in the UK – Aberdeen, Ebbsfleet, Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Guildford, Colchester, Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Norwich, Bicester.
In a statement, Lloyd said he is being sued by David Lloyd Leisure for passing off and trademark infringement, however, HCM can confirm that no legal action has been taken by David Lloyd Leisure.
Lloyd developed his original emponymous health and racquets chain in 1982 and sold it in its entirety to Whitbread in 1995, for £182 million when there were 18 sites.
Whitbread grew the chain to more than 60 clubs in the UK and Europe and sold the business in 2007 to London and Regional Properties for £925 million.
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In 2013 it was sold to TDR Capital for £750 million.
TDR created a new fund for the company last September, valuing it at £2 billion. The operator now has 139 clubs across the UK and Europe.
The move may leave David Lloyd Leisure with a case for passing off it the new launch confuses consumers.
Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford is thriving at Barcelona
Michael Carrick reportedly wants Marcus Rashford to stay at Manchester United but faces several obstacles to keep the forward. The United boss has made a perfect start without the England star at his disposal, winning his first four games in charge.
United have been rejuvenated since Carrick took the reins at his old club. Victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur have propelled the team into the top four and restored confidence throughout the squad.
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Rashford fell out of favour under ex-United boss Ruben Amorim, leading him to join Aston Villa on loan last season. The 28-year-old then sealed a move to Barcelona during the summer in a deal that includes a £26million buy option.
Spanish publication Sport reports that Carrick wants Rashford at United next season. However, Barcelona are said to be fully committed to meeting his buyout clause.
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Rashford has also been vocal about wanting to remain with the Catalan club beyond his loan spell. Discussing his future in December, the United loanee said: “What I want is to stay at Barca.
“That’s the ultimate goal, but it’s not the reason I train hard and give my all. The purpose is to win. From the moment I arrived, I felt very welcome. For me, the reason I’m here is to help the team win trophies.”
Rashford has shared history with the new interim boss, having previously been teammates for three years. Carrick also worked with Rashford as part of Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff, as well as his first spell as temporary manager.
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The 44-year-old’s reported desire to keep Rashford at United would only become a potential factor in the summer if he were appointed manager permanently. Carrick has 13 games remaining to convince the club hierarchy he is the right person for the job, with his side already out of both domestic cup competitions.
Meanwhile, Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has praised Rashford’s contributions for his parent club. The coach lauded the forward’s commitment but admitted that the decision to finalise a permanent deal would rest with the club’s sporting director in the summer.
In January, Flick said of Rashford: “Marcus’ performances have been really good until now, so we have to manage it, but it’s Deco’s job to do things for next season. We have to wait.
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“We have months to go. For me, of course, with Marcus we have a player on the top level, but also with our situation, and what I appreciate a lot from him [is his desire to be here].”
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss LIV getting OWGR points, the Players Championship’s major worthiness and our favorite new golf clubs.
After years of battling for valuable World Rankings points, the OWGR announced it had accepted LIV Golf’s application for membership and the league will receive points effective immediately. Although since the OWGR said LIV fits into the “small-field tournaments” classification, it will only be awarded points for top-10 finishers and ties. In its own statement, LIV said, “a player finishing 11th in a LIV Golf event is treated the same as a player finishing 57th” and that this “disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold.” How would you untangle this?
Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Afraid that one is above my pay grade. But I will say that LIV should be ecstatic with this result. The depth of fields has never been the league’s strong suit, but they’ve always had some solid top talent. With this result, the big guns (Rahm, DeChambeau, Hatton, Niemann) will finally get some points and have an easier time getting into majors. Seems like as good a result as they could’ve hoped for.
Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I don’t feel it needs untangling. LIV should be thrilled it got recognition from the OWGR board. It should allow its best players to hoover up the same number of points given out at an opposite-field event. Elvis Smylie received more points for winning LIV Riyadh than Patrick Reed did for winning in Qatar. It seems fair given all of the other things the OWGR board noted, including selecting members for the tour “based on their nationality and not meritocratic reasons.”
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Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): These points are a big, big deal. There would be relatively few points available outside the top 10 anyway, so — despite the grievance note — what they got far, far outweighs what they didn’t. LIV’s young stars now have a legitimate pathway to climbing the ranks and playing their way into majors. For the likes of David Puig, Tom McKibbin and Elvis Smylie (plus more established pros like Joaquin Niemann) that’s a potential game-changer.
World Ranking points are valuable pathways for LIV players to earn entry into major championships. But is last week’s news — and the points distribution — enough to lure players to LIV who were already on the fence about their major eligibility?
Melton: Perhaps, but with the PIF seemingly restricting the LIV budget of late, I’m not sure the massive paydays from yesteryear are still viable. Would a big name be willing to jump to LIV without a Rahm-like signing bonus? I’m not so sure.
Schrock: I doubt it. They might be able to lure one or two younger players who might have been on the fence but I don’t think another big name jumps unless the PIF decides to loosen the belt a bit.
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Dethier: If you’re an established PGA Tour star, probably not. But LIV has picked up some young talents from outside the U.S. and that particular profile of player could be pushed over the edge by this decision. LIV and the DP World Tour continue to be on a collision course — competing for players, for regions, for legitimacy as the “World Tour” and now for points, too. More to come on that subject.
The ‘major’ debate surfaced again last week, when the PGA Tour released a Players Championship promotion with the tagline: “March is going to be major.” When asked for comment, the Tour told GOLF.com, “Fans and players have long discussed THE PLAYERS Championship’s status as a major. We understand that is not for us to decide. Ultimately it is up to our sport and its fans to recognize what the professionals who play the game already know.” [Eds note: the Players, by definition, is not a major.] Any thoughts on the peculiar messaging around this?
Melton: The Tour is simply doing its job in promoting its biggest event. Does declaring the Players a major make it one? No — but you can’t fault the Tour for trying.
Schrock: The PGA Tour doesn’t own the five most important events in golf. They are promoting their flagship product. Can the Players be made into a major? Probably not, but the majors as we know them weren’t “majors” until Arnold Palmer basically created the idea in the 1960s. The tournaments existed but the idea of a “major” or the “grand slam” could have meant any number of things until Palmer said he wanted to win the Open Championship and PGA Championship to have a “grand slam” of his own after winning the Masters and U.S. Open. Majors can be created and deleted. The PGA Tour might as well try.
Dethier: I went deep on this exact subject here, but one feeling I can’t shake is that there should be four major championships. Five per year suddenly messes up history and the entire idea of the Grand Slam, which is a big deal in contextualizing great golfers. The Players has hit its stride in recent years as the PGA Tour’s greatest event. If it’s going to become a major it needs to stage a duel to replace one rather than add a fifth.
Days later, Brandel Chamblee created headlines when he said the Players has the best and deepest field in golf and is “the hardest major championship to win,” adding: “the Players, to me, stands alone and above the other four major championships as not just a major, it is in my estimation, the best major.” What is going on here?
Melton: Ok this one was definitely strange. I can see an argument for making the Players a major, but to say it’s “the best” major? Now that’s a hot take. Credit to Brandel for sticking his neck out there, but I’m gonna have to disagree.
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Schrock: He honestly kind of lost me with the argument that because “Live From” broadcasts at majors and the Players, it makes the Players a major. I’ll listen to an argument that the Players is more of a major than the PGA, but Brandel lost me with his soliloquy. But it got people talking!
Dethier: Brandel is a provocative thinker and talker. When he’s on TV he has my attention. And some of his nuance got lost with this headline-grabbing declaration. With that said — I think this pretty clearly misses the mark. A better major than the brawny, epic U.S. Open? Than the vaunted, iconic Masters? Than the Open Championship and its 150-year history? The cover ruins the book for me here.
Regardless of how it’s labeled, do you agree with Chamblee that the Players is the hardest marquee event to win?
Melton: Winning is hard no matter if it’s your Saturday skins game or a major championship. Although with all the trouble on the closing stretch at TPC Sawgrass, it does make the Players a uniquely difficult tournament to close out with a lead. I know I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a one-shot lead heading into those holes.
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Schrock: I think that all depends on who is in the cauldron. We saw Rory pretty effortlessly navigate TPC Sawgrass in a playoff to beat J.J. Spaun but throw up on himself at Pinehurst and Augusta. The closing stretch at TPC Sawgrass is arguably the best in golf, but I think the majors might be in a different category of pressure because of what they mean to a player’s legacy.
Dethier: At the moment, the easiest argument against the Players as a major is that it’s an exclusive PGA Tour event. Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are not permitted to play. But let’s put on our imagination caps for a minute. Is there a world in which the Tour seeks to elevate the Players by inviting LIV golfers, using its flagship event as a bridge? I’m not so sure. But I’m interested to see their next move in this campaign.
Last week, GOLF launched Fully Fit 2026, in which several of our dedicated staffers tested and reviewed the newest and best gear out there. Quick, what’s your favorite club you have added to your bag over the last few years?
Melton: My Titleist GT1 9-wood (yes, 9-wood!). I can hit it much higher than a 4-iron and I can even hit it out of the rough in a pinch. It’s quite a weapon.
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Schrock: I’m excited to add the Odyssey No. 7 with a slant neck to my bag here soon. It can only help my shaky play on the greens.
Dethier: I got fitted into a TSi3 driver a couple years ago and immediately started hitting more fairways. I’d say the fitting was just as important as the golf club, making sure I got into the correct shaft and the correct head. It’s easier to trust.
The Seattle Seahawks have defeated the New England Patriots in the NFL’s showpiece event, with Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny making history by performing the halftime show in Spanish.
Jan 20, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Former Utah Jazz players from left to right, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Joe Ingles and center Rudy Gobert and guard Mike Conley and guard Johnny Juzang sit on the bench during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves have two games left before the NBA All-Star break.
That’s not much time to snap out of weeklong slump.
Minnesota will try to bounce back on short rest when it tips off against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves are coming off a 115-96 loss at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon.
The setback marked the Timberwolves’ third loss in the past four games. Rudy Gobert called out the team’s effort level on defense after a recent loss, and coach Chris Finch told reporters he addressed the topic internally and regretted that Gobert had made it public.
For his part, Timberwolves top scorer Anthony Edwards said the team’s latest loss did not seem to be the result of a lack of effort.
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“I felt like we had good energy (Sunday),” said Edwards, who averages 29.8 points per game. “I felt like the offense just wasn’t going for us, especially for myself. I have nothing to say about our defense. I thought we did a pretty good job (against the Clippers), it’s just, we couldn’t score the ball.”
Minnesota will try to bounce back against a Hawks team that has won two of its past three games but is coming off a 126-119 home loss against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
Jalen Johnson finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Atlanta. He leads the team at 23.4 points per game on 50.2% shooting from the field in 49 games this season.
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Johnson said he always looks for a way to get involved in the game, even if the first half does not always go the way that he wants.
“I might miss my first couple shots in the game, and other guys might have it going, so that opens up for me to play-make,” Johnson said. “Obviously, when the time is right, I pick my spots. I’ll be aggressive when I need to be, and that approach has helped me to stay even keel when I’m not shooting the ball well to start the game.”
This is the second and final meeting between the Timberwolves and Hawks during the regular season. The first game took place Dec. 31 in Atlanta, where the Hawks rolled to a 126-102 win thanks to Johnson’s game-high 34 points on 15-for-22 shooting.
Finch said he has confidence the Timberwolves can find a way to win on their home court. He said a key ingredient to success would be moving the ball on offense and finding the open man.
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“We’ve got to get our offense going,” Finch said. “We had a lot of turnovers (Sunday). We’ve got to get some kind of rhythm and speed to our offense.
“Guys are kind of not getting included in the offense enough. I think we get some connectivity from that. We don’t have a great spirit about us right now; we’ve got to pick it up. Try to finish these last two games strong before the break.”
The Sandbach teenager pulled off two big runs under pressure to book her place in the final
Top British Olympic hope Mia Brookes went big — and very nearly went home.
Snowboarders are used to shredding it, but the only thing shredded last night were the nerves of those watching in minus-six temperatures.
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Sandbach teenager Brookes has two big medal shots here in the Big Air and Slopestyle competitions.
The latter is considered her strongest event, but she still advanced to Monday’s Big Air final as the third-best qualifier — though she took the scenic route.
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Qualifying is never good for the nerves. Only the top 12 of 29 advance to the final, with the best two scores from three runs counting.
Brookes, just 19, hit the deck with her first effort, leaving no margin for error in her final two runs.
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She nailed her second, producing one of the best scores of qualifying, and then secured her place with her third.
Snowboarding has a confusing lexicon of its own, but when Brookes showed her steeze, didn’t bonk and stomped her landing, be assured — that’s a very good thing.
“That was insane, I loved it. Every minute was awesome, but it was definitely scary,” said Brookes, who is aiming to become the first British woman snowboarder to win an Olympic medal since Jenny Jones in 2014.
“After that first run, I was so nervous, but you just have to take your time at the top and not rush into anything.
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“It really came out of me in an athlete way — keeping cool under pressure, not making rash decisions or rushing anything. It was nice to see that come from inside myself.
“You are definitely in the air thinking about it in the back of your mind… ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to land this.’
“The build-up to the Olympics was quite big in my mind, but when I got here it was chill.
“I never came here for gold — I came to have fun — but I’d have been upset not to make that final.”
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Brookes’ parents are Vicky and Nigel Brookes, avid snowboarding enthusiasts who lived in Chamonix for five seasons.
They have loyally supported her early and unconventional career, which included training at Chill Factore in Manchester and travelling across Europe in a motorhome.
“They are staying down the road in the van — it means so much to have them here,” she added. “My gran will be cheering on at home too. She loves the Olympics.
“As much as I hate it in the moment, it is pressure moments like that that I just love. When you land, it is the best feeling on the planet. Everyone is cheering at you and it’s insane.”
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Brookes will go for gold on Monday evening, with her best mate, freestyle skier Kirsty Muir, in action earlier in the day after also qualifying third for the women’s Slopestyle final.
“I have grown up with Kirsty — we have known each other since we were young — so to go into an Olympic final on the same day as her for Great Britain is really special,” she said.
TNT Sports on discovery+ will be the go-to destination in the U.K to watch everything of Milano Cortina 2026 live all in one place, with over 850 hours of action from every sport, venue, and medal event.
The response from Wikki Tourists Football Club over the reported attack on the chairman of Katsina United is disappointing and troubling. Instead of taking clear responsibility and showing strong concern, the club released a statement that sounded like an attempt to excuse what happened.
In their statement, Wikki Tourists claimed they were not aware of the chairman’s presence because he did not announce himself before the match. This line of defence is shocking. It suggests that anyone who does not formally announce their presence does not deserve protection. That logic is dangerous and unacceptable in football.
Security at a stadium should protect everyone, not just those who sign a register. A chairman, official, fan or journalist should not be attacked under any circumstance. Football grounds must be safe for all, whether their names are announced or not.
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Wikki Tourists also said the chairman was seated on the reserve bench, an area meant for team officials. Even if that was true, it does not justify violence. At worst, he should have been guided to another seat, not assaulted. Blaming the victim for where he sat is a poor excuse.
The club further claimed that if his presence had been formally communicated, his situation would have been different. This statement is even more troubling. It indirectly admits that safety depends on protocol, not basic human protection. That is not how football should work.
Meanwhile, the abandoned twelve minutes of the match are currently being played, but the bigger issue is the violence and disorder that rocked the game. Football should never descend into chaos, and officials should never be attacked.
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The response from Wikki Tourists was lame. It lacked empathy, responsibility and seriousness. The Nigeria Premier Football League must act strongly on this matter. The hammer should fall, and it should fall hard. Violence has no place in Nigerian football, and clubs must be held accountable for what happens at their venues.
The chaotic Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 25 clash between Wikki Tourists and Katsina United has finally been completed, ending in a thrilling 4-4 draw.
The match, which was earlier abandoned due to crowd trouble and alleged attacks on match officials and the Katsina United chairman, resumed on Monday morning to complete the remaining minutes.
Wikki Tourists started the game strongly, with Mairiga opening the scoring in the 5th minute. Katsina United responded through Uche Collins, who scored in the 20th minute. Jubrin restored Wikki Tourists’ lead from the penalty spot in the 27th minute, but Collins struck again in the 35th minute to make it 2-2.
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In the second half, Ibrahim put Wikki Tourists ahead again in the 53rd minute. Collins then completed his hat-trick in the 62nd minute to level the game at 3-3.
After the match resumed on Monday, Katsina United continued to push despite being a man down. The game ended in dramatic fashion, with an 89th-minute own goal giving Katsina United a vital point and making the final score 4-4.
Uche Collins was the standout player with a brilliant hat-trick, while both teams showed great fighting spirit in a match full of tension and drama.
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Following the result, Wikki Tourists remain in the lower half of the NPFL table, while Katsina United secured an important away point as the league season continues.
Mike Macdonald can call himself a Super Bowl champion head coach in only his second season on the sidelines for the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks put on an impressive defensive display in the team’s Super Bowl LX win over the New England Patriots, 29-13. Macdonald celebrated with his team on the field at Levi’s Stadium and was asked by NBC’s Maria Taylor what the win meant to him.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is hugged after a win over the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
“I believe God called me to be a coach and I listened to Him and I think Him,” Macdonald said. “We are incredibly blessed to be Seahawks, to be 12s. And now, we’re world champions.”
Macdonald, somehow, engineered a defense to deter Patriots quarterback Drake Maye the entire night. He made one or two clutch throws, but it was far from enough as Seattle made him uncomfortable throughout the night.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald celebrates with the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Seahawks’ defense sacked Maye six times during the night. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. Seattle’s Uchenna Nwosu returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown to help slam the door on any hopes of a New England comeback.
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Seattle’s defense was a major sticking point throughout the 2025 season. The team was first in points allowed and sixth in yards allowed. The team finished 14-3 in the regular season, won the NFC West and won its first Super Bowl since the 2013 season.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald walks on the field after being doused following his team’s win in the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
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