Arsenal are Premier League champions and kick-started the celebrations at Selhurst Park after victory over Crystal Palace to conclude the season.

At the other end of the table, Tottenham avoided relegation, but West Ham dropped down to the Championship with Burnley and Wolves.

Man City, Man United, Aston Villa and Liverpool qualified for next season’s Champions League, while Bournemouth and Sunderland reached the Europa League, and Brighton will play in next season’s Conference League. Here are the Independent Sport’s awards from the 2025/26 season:

Player of the season

Miguel Delaney: Declan Rice – I have also gone back and forth on David Raya and Bruno Fernandes a few times but, now that the title is secured, I’d pick Rice for pushing through under immense pressure.

Richard Jolly: Rice – I actually voted for Bernardo Silva for Footballer of the Year but it was when it looked like Manchester City could do the treble. So I will switch to Rice, who has been Arsenal’s outstanding individual.

Lawrence Ostlere: Fernandes – His ability to create chances was a world apart from every other player in the league and made a huge contribution off the ball too (he completed the same number of tackles as Rice).

Kieran Jackson: Rice – Those with short memories quickly forget how talismanic he was for Arsenal as they built a top-of-the-table lead in the first half of the season which, ultimately, proved insurmountable. Faded towards the end of the season, sure, but has been back to his monstrous self in the past few weeks. A proper leader.

Will Castle: Fernandes – You can easily give this to Rice and I’d have no complaints, but for me, Fernandes’ ability to remain a constant light for Manchester United even through the dark final days of Ruben Amorim makes him the league’s individual best this term. He was integral to their resurgence under Michael Carrick and his title of all-time assist king makes his season one for the books.

Manager of the season

MD: Mikel Arteta – I could easily have Keith Andrews, Andoni Iraola or Unai Emery here, but I think the scale of Arsenal’s long-term overperformance is being overlooked. And Arteta did show true management – especially dispelling doubts – at key moments.

RJ: Emery – At the start of the season, Aston Villa looked like they could go into decline. They end the campaign having qualified for the Champions League twice and won their first trophy in 30 years, and a first in Europe in 44 years. At the risk of recency bias, John McGinn’s strike against Liverpool might be my goal of the season.

LO: Regis Le Bris – Sunderland’s newly compiled team quickly gelled and racked up points via Le Bris’s gameplan built on defensive solidity. To finish in the top half of the Premier League is a phenomenal achievement, but qualifying for the Europa League, and delivering European football to the Black Cats for the first time in more than 50 years is incredible.

KJ: Andrews – The Irishman has made a mockery of the “most likely to be sacked” tag at the start of the season, steering Brentford so close to Europe. As the antics at Arsenal will attest to, perhaps the “set-piece coach” really is the way forward.

WC: Arteta – You just can’t give it to anyone else, can you? Yes, Arsenal aren’t the most enjoyable team to watch, hence Arteta-ball regularly being the subject of resentment. But his philosophy has been justified; Arsenal are Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. It’s not come without its real tests of fortitude, either – Manchester City’s fightback threatened to bring about a four-peat of second-place finishes. Arteta managed to drag his side out of the darkness; now he’s potentially 90 minutes away from the best double in football.

Moment of the season

MD: “After review…” Very far from the best football moment, but the theatre around Chris Kavanagh’s VAR review of Callum Wilson’s goal was among the most exquisite tension I’ve experienced in the Premier League, and decided so much. There’s also a symbolism in how the fact it was a VAR review of a set-piece also summed up so much. Not necessarily for good.

RJ: It may be off the field, albeit about 30 yards from it – Mohamed Salah’s remarkable interview at Leeds. It feels like quite a bit of the drama has come off the field, whether Ruben Amorim’s press conference at Elland Road or Pep Guardiola standing down.

LO: Declan Rice’s “It’s not over” at full-time in Arsenal’s defeat by Manchester City. He was mocked for showing supposed weakness, but in truth it was a glimpse of a defiant mentality that proved so integral to Arsenal’s season. That phrase will be repeated for years to come.

KJ: Max Dowman’s goal against Everton. The 16-year-old came on, conjured a key assist late on, before gliding sumptuously through desperate defenders to score into an empty net, becoming the Premier League’s youngest-ever goalscorer in a statement victory for Arsenal. Of course, understandable given his age, but it’s felt like a shame we’ve barely seen him since.

WC: “After review…” Stockley Park shenanigans take the cake on this one; you truly hate to see it. But the magnitude and significance of this sole moment in the title race – and the relegation race – cannot be denied.

Game of the season

MD: Newcastle United 2-3 Liverpool – It feels like it was almost from a different campaign, not least in how it touched football levels that the season didn’t always reach.

RJ: Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool – Astonishing drama, plenty of plotlines and a 100th-minute winner from a 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha.

LO: Manchester United 2-0 Manchester City – Michael Carrick’s first game in charge was a masterclass, and it sparked a transformation of the team’s season.

KJ: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City – One stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai and a City fightback which extended the title race by two months. Farcical VAR scenes at the end were, perhaps, a sign of things to come.

WC: Fulham 4-5 Manchester City – Do not assume anything as given in this league. This had the look of a classic City rout when they went 3-0 up before half-time, then 5-1 by 53 minutes. By 77 minutes, Fulham had reduced their deficit by three and looked on a collision course for one of the greatest comebacks this league has ever seen. Alas, it didn’t happen, but those minutes of edge-of-your-seat action were unmatched.

Signing of the season

MD: Senne Lammens – A personification of Manchester United’s recently-found stability.

RJ: Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Plenty of clubs spent a fortune on strikers last summer. Leeds got a free transfer who kept them up.

LO: Calvert-Lewin. A free signing who scored the goals (15) that kept Leeds in the Premier League.

KJ: Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder, signed for £13m, was quickly named captain by Regis Le Bris and has been the key cog in Sunderland’s remarkable season, as they push for Europe on the final day. At 33, he’s still got it.

WC: Antoine Semenyo – Who knows how much earlier Arsenal would’ve won the league if not for City’s January business, signing the two most sought-after players in the league. Semenyo was on fire at Bournemouth and only got hotter under Pep Guardiola.

Surprise of the season

MD: Brentford – To think there was expectation Keith Andrews could be sacked in a nosedive.

RJ: How well (two of) the promoted teams have done. It has been a welcome surprise, too, to see Sunderland and Leeds excel. It wasn’t healthy if the same three teams that came up went down. But with Sunderland and Leeds doing well, it rather caught out Wolves, West Ham and Tottenham.

LO: I genuinely thought this would be the season when VAR clicked and began to become the smooth background operation it was meant to be. Somehow, it got worse.

KJ: Tottenham. Thomas Frank was highly rated and seemed a shrewd pick in the early weeks. How rapidly did that optimism plummet? Their battle against relegation was the story of the campaign.

WC: Brentford – The Bees lost their manager, captain and two best attackers last summer. Predicting the drop for them was hardly a hot take. Shows how much we know.

What are you looking forward to next season?

MD: More open football, hopefully from some rule changes.

RJ: Some managerial changes are confirmed (Xabi Alonso at Chelsea, Marco Rose at Bournemouth), some very likely (Enzo Maresca to Manchester City) and some remain to be determined (Crystal Palace). It will be interesting to see how they get on and how that changes the Premier League pecking order.

LO: Alonso at Chelsea is a great storyline and it will be fun to see how he gets on in the Premier League.

KJ: Manchester City. End of an era with Pep Guardiola leaving – how will Maresca (we assume) fare? It’s some figure to follow.

WC: Alonso to Chelsea is very intriguing – partly because of how unbothered a lot of Blues fans are at the appointment. A quick reminder that ‘failing’ at this Real Madrid team is not the be-all and end-all. What he did at Bayer Leverkusen was truly remarkable – this looks like a coup.

Team of the season

MD: Raya; Timber, Senesi, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Scott; Semenyo, Fernandes, Rogers, Thiago

RJ: Raya; Timber, Lacroix, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Silva, Rice; Szoboszlai, Fernandes, Doku; Thiago

LO: Lammens; Timber, Senesi, Gabriel, Kadioglu; Rice, Garner; Wilson, Fernandes, Semenyo; Haaland

KJ: Raya; Timber, Guehi, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Xhaka, Fernandes; Semenyo, Rogers, Thiago

WC: Raya; Timber, Guehi, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Fernandes, Rogers; Semenyo, Thiago, Kroupi

The Bank of Scotland has unveiled a limited edition £20 note, featuring an image inspired by Scott McTominay’s memorable overhead kick, to commemorate Scotland’s return to the World Cup. Fans will have the opportunity to win one of just 100 of these unique notes in the coming weeks.

The design seamlessly integrates traditional banknote elements with imagery directly referencing McTominay’s crucial World Cup qualifying goal for Scotland against Denmark.

This historic moment saw the team secure their place at the men’s international tournament for the first time since 1998, following a dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden Park in Glasgow last November, where McTominay scored the opening goal with his spectacular overhead kick.

Reflecting on the achievement, the midfielder stated: “Reaching the biggest stage of world football is something every player dreams of, and I know it means everything to our fans. Moments like that belong to everyone who follows the team, so seeing my goal featured on a Scottish banknote feels incredibly special. Being able to work with Bank of Scotland to turn it into something that also supports Crisis, and the work they do to tackle homelessness, makes me even more proud.”

Emma Noble, chair of the Scottish executive committee at the Bank of Scotland, highlighted the note’s significance: “Securing qualification in such dramatic fashion is a moment fans will never forget, and we wanted to mark it in a way that’s rooted in Scottish identity. Like football, banknotes have long been part of our country’s story, and this limited edition £20 note combines those two traditions with a modern, creative twist.

“Scott’s overhead kick is already regarded as one of the nation’s greatest ever goals. It’s been a privilege to work with him to bring it to life in such a unique way, and we’re grateful for his support in helping raise funds for Crisis as they work to end homelessness across Scotland.”

Only 100 of these special notes have been printed, with 50 available to the public through a combination of collector auctions, a prize draw, and two pop-up “vaults”. Proceeds from the auction and prize draw will directly benefit Crisis Scotland, the national charity dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. The online auction is currently live and concludes at 11am on Friday, 26 June, the same deadline for entering the prize draw. Additionally, pop-up vaults will appear in Glasgow and Edinburgh, offering fans a chance to crack a code and secure one of these highly sought-after notes.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman protected his head of hair and recaptured the AEW World Title at Double or Nothing 2026. Interestingly, The Devil witnessed a fan-favorite turn to the dark side in a shocking post-match angle at the end of the pay-per-view.

Last month at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru, Darby Allin squashed MJF in a massive upset to become the new AEW Men’s World Champion. Since then, the self-proclaimed “generational talent” has been obsessed with reclaiming his prized “Triple B”, and repeatedly demanded a rematch for the belt from his long-time rival. The latter, however, refused all of Friedman’s offers for a World Championship bout, stating that he would grant him a rematch only if he agreed to put his hair on the line in return.

Despite his initial reservations, MJF eventually agreed to Darby’s stipulation for AEW Double or Nothing. Their PPV bout started off hot, with Allin immediately attempting to pin Friedman- the latter turned the tables, however, by dodging the World Champion’s dive and then rattling him with an apron powerbomb. MJF tried to maintain his dominance over Darby, but the daredevil fought back valiantly, although he was once again incapacitated by a missed apron Coffin Drop, after which he destroyed his opponent with a package piledriver on the ringside steps.

However, Allin landed a low-blow on Friedman when the referee’s back was turned, and the matchup continued with both stars countering every move the other dished out. At a key point during the bout, The Wolf of Wrestling pulled a cameraman in the way of Darby’s dive, taking out both. He then carried the AEW World Champion and sat him down on a chair on the entrance ramp to try and shave his hair. Allin thwarted Friedman’s efforts, however, choking his challenger out with a guillotine hold.

He then set MJF up on a table and hit him with a Coffin Drop from the top of the entrance stage scaffolding- however, nothing could keep Friedman down for the count. Afterwards, Allin tried submitting Friedman with the Scorpion Death Lock, but once again passed out due to the exhaustion of his recent punishing schedule. His weariness opened the door for Big Hebrew to deliver an avalanche tombstone on Darby and pin him to regain the World Title.

Post-match, Friedman was looking to humiliate Darby by celebrating his victory standing over his foe as the latter was recovering on a stretcher. However, Kevin Knight arrived to chase him off, only to then shockingly hit Allin with a UFO splash on the stretcher, seemingly turning heel.

What this means for the future of the TNT Champion and his relationship with his tag partner Speedball Mike Bailey remains to be seen.

Match results for AEW Double or Nothing

All Elite Wrestling hosted this year’s iteration of Double or Nothing in the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. The event featured a star-studded card comprising of a number of high-stakes matches, the results of which have been listed out below:

• Christian Cage and Adam Copeland defeated FTR (c) [World Tag Team Title “I Quit” Match]
• Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kazuchika Okada (c) [International Title Match]
• Athena defeated Mina Shirakawa [Women’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal Match]
• Jon Moxley (c) defeated Kyle O’Reilly [Continental Title Match with no time limits]
• Will Ospreay defeated Samoa Joe [Men’s Owen Hart Quarterfinal Match]
• Swerve Strickland defeated Bandido [Men’s Owen Hart Quarterfinal Match]
• Thekla (c) defeated Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida and Jamie Hayter [AEW Women’s World Title 4-Way Match]
• Chris Jericho, The Hurt Syndicate and The Elite defeated The Demand, The Dogs, Mark Davis and Andrade El Idolo [Stadium Stampede Match]
• MJF defeated Darby Allin (c) [AEW Men’s World Championship Title vs Hair Match]

It remains to be seen what Tony Khan has planned next for fans enroute to Forbidden Door 2026.