Football

Footballers Toby Alderweireld, Robbie Keane, Ashley Young, and former Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will join Match of the Day as pundits and BBC Sport will launch four new YouTube formats for the new men’s football season.

The BBC Football YouTube channel will house the quartet of new shows including FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub.

There will be a focus on fan experience with the addition of the BBC Sport Fan Collective, which will bring together supporters representing all 20 Premier League clubs.

“Football means something different to every fan, and this season BBC Sport is putting those fans even more firmly at the heart of the game,” said BBC director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski.

“We’re bringing together the unrivalled expertise of former players and managers with the passion, personality and perspectives of supporters to create a richer football experience wherever and however audiences follow the game.”

BBC Radio 5 Live will broadcast live commentary of 209 Premier League matches this season, as well as coverage from the Champions League, Scottish Premiership, FA Cup, men’s League Cup and international matches.

As well as Match of the Day’s Premier League coverage, BBC will broadcast two matches from each round of the FA Cup as well as one Bundesliga match every week on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Highlights and clips will also be available from La Liga, Serie A, the Europa League and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’s international games.

Kelly Somer’s The Football Interview will continue on BBC iPlayer, BBC Football YouTube and the BBC Sport website and app, as well as on BBC One every Saturday from 12:45 BST.

Police have launched an investigation after a 33-year-old man was found dead at Charlton Athletic’s football ground.

Officers and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service were called to The Valley stadium in south-east London on Tuesday morning following concerns for the welfare of a person.

The Metropolitan Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from officers.

Detectives are investigating the possibility that the man had fallen from height in the early hours of Monday morning. The death is currently being treated as unexpected as inquiries continue.

In a statement, Charlton Athletic confirmed the club was supporting police with their investigation following the discovery.

A spokesperson for the Championship club said: “Everyone at Charlton Athletic would like to express their deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the individual’s family, friends and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.

“The club are continuing to assist the authorities with their inquiries and respectfully ask that the privacy of those affected is respected.”

The club added that there was no suggestion of any wrongdoing on its part and thanked its staff for their professionalism in dealing with a “particularly difficult and distressing situation”.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk, external

Cagliari forward Yael Trepy is out of a medically induced coma and off mechanical ventilation two days after being pulled unconscious from a swimming pool.

Trepy, 20, was airlifted to hospital after the incident at a villa in Sardinia on Sunday afternoon.

His club shared a statement, external on Tuesday evening from the Santissima Annunziata Civil Hospital in Sassari, where Trepy is being treated.

It said his ventilation and sedation was reduced gradually through the day, allowing him to wake from the induced coma.

“Upon awakening, the patient showed a full recovery of consciousness: he is alert and co-operative and, at present, shows no evident neurological deficits,” said Dr Stefania Milia, director of the Emergency and Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.

However, Trepy remains in intensive care and “continues to receive close clinical and respiratory monitoring,” Dr Milia added.

A statement earlier on Tuesday had said Trepy was “fever free” and his “respiratory function” had improved compared with his severe condition when he was admitted, though it added “the prognosis remains guarded”.

BBC Sport has been told the player was in the swimming pool with friends and it is thought he got into difficulty after reaching an area of the pool where he could not touch the bottom.

Cagliari players had the weekend off after they beat Arezzo 1-0 in the Coppa Italia on Friday, in which Trepy played 54 minutes.

Trepy scored once in eight Serie A appearances last season after being a Cagliari youth player.

He joined the club’s academy in 2022, having started his youth career with Parisian side US Creteil-Lusitanos.

Al-Hilal in talks with Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins, Newcastle explore move for Manchester City‘s Nico Gonzalez, Sunderland move for Dayann Methalie in danger of collapsing.

Representatives for England captain Harry Kane, 33, have held talks with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, with the Bayern Munich striker open to a move in the future. (Talksport, external)

Meanwhile Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins, 29, has agreed personal terms with Al-Hilal, though the Saudi side are yet to submit a transfer offer to Villa. (Teamtalk), external

Newcastle have opened exploratory talks with Manchester City over a potential move for Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez, 24. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Sunderland‘s £25.7m move for Toulouse and France Under-21 defender Dayann Methalie, 20, is in danger of collapsing after concerns were raised over his medical. (Daily Mail), external

Coventry have had an offer worth £8.5m for England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 30, rejected by AC Milan. (Tuttosport – in Italian), external

Real Sociedad have made an approach for West Ham and Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez, 28, with Ajax having cooled their interest. (Sky Sports), external

Ipswich have had a second offer rejected for Bayer Leverkusen and Argentina midfielder Exequiel Palacios, 27. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Tottenham are considering a move for Paris St-Germain and Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi, 23, after selling Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid. (Teamtalk), external

Liverpool and England midfielder Curtis Jones, 25, remains a top target for Inter Milan, who believe a bid of 35m euros (£29m) will be successful. (CaughtOffside, external)

Wolves have entered the race for Brighton winger Amario Cozier-Duberry, 21, with the England under-20 international remaining a target for Rangers and former loan club Bolton. (The Argus, external)

Malaga are pursuing English winger Ryan Kent, 29, who has been a free agent since leaving Seattle Sounders in January. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external)

Following the start of the US-Israel war on Iran,, the first match of the Iranian league was played last week.

Iranian clubs have been confirmed to play at neutral venues against their Qatari and United Arab Emirates opponents following the draw for the group stage of the Asian Champions League Elite.

Matches in the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) premier event, which was drawn on Tuesday, begin on September 14.

Tehran’s Esteghlal and Tabriz-based Tractor will face UAE sides Al Ain, Al Wasl and Shabab Al-Ahli, and Qatari clubs Al Gharafa, Al Sadd and Al Shamal, despite the ongoing conflict in the region.

Esteghlal and Tractor avoided the heavily favoured Saudi Arabian contingent.

Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, Iran has struck targets in Qatar and the UAE, saying it is retaliating for allowing US bases to be used for strikes.

Iran’s neighbours have implored Tehran to stop firing at them. On Sunday, Iran claimed three of its pilots who went missing in March were being held in Qatar, though Doha denied the charge.

Iran’s domestic league was suspended in February as attacks began but returned last weekend with one match behind closed doors and others under capacity restrictions.

The AFC Elite features two 16-team regional zones. In the west, Saudi Arabia has five representatives, including Jeddah’s Al-Ahli, which is aiming to become the first club to win three straight Champions League titles. Coach Matthias Jaissle left this month to take over English Premier League side Newcastle.

Riyadh rival Al-Hilal is seeking a fifth title, while Cristiano Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr back into the competition after winning the Saudi Pro League in May.

In the east, Japan reached the final in the past two editions, with Kawasaki Frontale and Machida Zelvia losing to Al-Ahli, though neither has qualified this year.

Gamba Osaka won in 2008, and South Korea also supplies two former champions: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, aiming for a third crown, and Pohang Steelers, looking for a fourth.

The top eight from each group advance to the round of 16. From the quarterfinals onward, all matches will be played in Saudi Arabia, with the final set for May 1.

Carson High, the defending City Section Open Division football champions, starts out as No. 1 in the City Section rankings by The Times.

The Colts worked on their strength in the off season after failing to stop the run in a state playoff loss to Delano Kennedy.

The rankings:

1. CARSON. The Colts are getting ambitious, with an opening game against San Diego power Lincoln.

2. CRENSHAW. There’s speed, experience and even more depth on a team that made it to City final in 2025.

3. BIRMINGHAM. An improved passing attack makes the Patriots more dangerous going into opening game against Hart.

4. SAN PEDRO. Returning quarterback Seth Solorio and some good linemen should make the Pirates much better.

5. GARFIELD. The return of running back Ceasar Reyes is a big deal.

6. KING/DREW. The talent is there but the offense has to score points in big games for a breakthrough win.

7. SOUTH GATE. In quarterback Michael Gonzalez, the Rams can build around him and score points in bunches.

8. CLEVELAND. Cavaliers can be a big surprise with returnees at quarterback and running back.

9. EL CAMINO REAL. By midseason, when a couple transfer students become eligible, this will be a dangerous team. Watch out for sophomore Kymani Williams, headed for All-City honors.

10. VENICE. The late Angelo Gasca prepared his assistants to take over one day and now it’s their turn to show what they learned.

Others to watch: Hamilton, University, Eagle Rock, Franklin, Palisades.

Manchester City are faced with an Enzo Fernandez premium, Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has no shortage of potential suitors, and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is offered a huge salary increase.

Manchester City will have to pay Chelsea more than £120m to land Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez if they try to complete a deal in the final two weeks of the transfer window. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Chelsea want close to £100m if they are to sell Portugal winger Pedro Neto, 26, this summer with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal linked with a move. (Mail – subscription required), external

Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham are all also interested in Neto, who joined Chelsea for £54m from Wolves in 2024. (Metro), external

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Spain midfielder Marc Casado, 22, who Barcelona have put up for sale. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Despite Manchester United‘s reluctance to sell, Galatasaray have offered Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes £18.3m per season – double his current salary – to tempt him away from Old Trafford. (Telegraph – subscription required) , external

Liverpool are still keen to sign Paris St-Germain duo Bradley Barcola, 23, and Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, with a combined fee of £155m being mooted for the France winger and Senegal forward. (Teamtalk), external

Bayern Munich are confident of agreeing a new deal with England forward Harry Kane, 33, who is entering the final year of his contract. (Bild – in German), external

Como have made an offer to take Fiorentina and Italy forward Moise Kean, 26, on loan with an obligation to buy in a package worth £25m. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Leeds have given Suriname striker Joel Piroe, 27, permission to travel to West Ham for a medical. (Sky Sports), external

AC Milan have agreed a £34m deal to sign Belgium winger Diego Moreira, 22, from Strasbourg. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external

Sao Paulo and West Ham are among the clubs taking an interest in 39-year-old former England forward Jamie Vardy, who is a free agent. (Talksport), external

Available for over a year

Joe Hart, Chris Sutton and Adam Crafton are with Mark Chapman to look ahead to the Premier League season, can they cover all 20 clubs in this episode of the Monday Night Club? That depends on whether you count Chris Sutton’s predicted Premier League table.

They reflect on Manchester City’s performance in their Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, what it takes to defend a Premier League title, and whether Xabi Alonso can repeat Antonio Conte’s feat of taking Chelsea from a club that finished tenth to title winners in the following season.

Plus, Hull City assistant head coach Dean Holden discusses their preparations for a return to the top flight.

01:39 – Takeaways from Manchester City’s Community Shield defeat
17:28 – What is so difficult about defending a Premier League title?
21:47 – Can Chelsea challenge for the title?
32:00 – Hull City assistant Dean Holden
38:50 – Coventry and Ipswich’s survival hopes
43:03 – Will Aston Villa start the season with two ‘starting’ goalkeepers?
45:13 – Which club has the most potential to under deliver this season?

Programme WebsiteShow less

NEW YORK — Ohio State and Oregon were 1-2 in The Associated Press Top 25 released Monday, giving the Big Ten Conference the top two teams in the preseason rankings for the first time in 65 years and just the second time ever.

The Buckeyes received 40 first-place votes and Oregon received 14 in voting by 69 media members who cover college football.

Ohio State will go into a season No. 1 for the ninth time, and first since 2015. The Buckeyes are now tied with Alabama for second-most preseason No. 1 rankings behind Oklahoma’s 10.

Oregon has its highest preseason ranking in program history after having opened No. 3 four times.

Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas round out the top five. Defending national champion Indiana starts at No. 6 and is followed by Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Notre Dame received six first-place votes, Indiana got eight and Miami one.

This is the first year a conference has held down the top two spots in the preseason poll since Oklahoma and Nebraska of the Big Eight were 1-2 in 1987.

The last time the Big Ten had the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the preseason was 1961, when Iowa and Ohio State topped the poll. The Hawkeyes lost four of their last five games after a 4-0 start and finished that season unranked. The Buckeyes went 8-0-1 and ended the season No. 2 behind unbeaten Alabama.

The Big Ten has won three straight College Football Playoff championships (Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana) and will be going for an unprecedented fourth straight national title. This is the fourth consecutive year the Big Ten has had two of the top three teams in the preseason rankings.

The Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with nine teams in the preseason Top 25, marking the third straight year it has had at least that many. Five of the top 10 teams are from the SEC for the first time since 2013.

Four Big 12 teams are ranked, with conference champion Texas Tech the highest at No. 12. The Atlantic Coast Conference has three ranked teams, with the Hurricanes joined by No. 19 SMU and No. 24 Louisville. There are no Group of Six schools in the Top 25.

Top-ranked Buckeyes

The offense is loaded. Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin was the most accurate passer in the nation by a wide margin last season, Jeremiah Smith leads the nation in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns over the last two years and Bo Jackson is coming off a 1,000-yard rushing season as a freshman.

There is little concern about the defense even though eight starters must be replaced for a second straight year. At least six transfers are projected to start or play major roles.

Ohio State will get tested early and often. The Buckeyes visit Texas on Sept. 12 and five of their nine conference games are against preseason ranked teams, including at Indiana and against Oregon at home.

The Buckeyes have ended a season No. 1 in the AP poll six times (1942, 1954, 1968, 2002, 2014, 2024).

Bulldogs best of the SEC

The beat goes on for Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. They’re in the preseason top five for the ninth straight year. The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs are favored to play in a sixth straight conference title game and appear in the CFP for the sixth time in 10 years.

Texas, the preseason No. 1 last year, opens in the top five for the third straight year. No. 8 Texas A&M is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since it was No. 6 in 2022, the year that marked the beginning of the end for coach Jimbo Fisher.

Pete Golding’s first full season as Mississippi head coach starts with the No. 9 Rebels in the preseason top 10 for the second time in three years and third time since 1970. No. 10 Oklahoma is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since 2022, when it was in the Big 12.

What about the Hoosiers?

Indiana is the seventh returning national champion in 40 years, and second in three years, to be ranked outside the top five in the preseason (Michigan went into the 2024 season ranked No. 9 after winning the national title).

The Hoosiers became the first team in the modern era to go 16-0, and they return lots of talent and signed a top-10 transfer class. The move from Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza to TCU transfer Josh Hoover at quarterback apparently put doubts in the minds of voters.

Poll nuggets

—USC, which landed the nation’s top recruiting class during the offseason, is ranked No. 15 in the preason poll.

— Ohio State will try to become the 12th team to start and finish No. 1 since the AP preseason poll debuted in 1950. The last team to do it was Alabama in 2017.

— Notre Dame has its highest preseason ranking since it was No. 2 in 2006. The Fighting Irish, who have a Heisman candidate in quarterback CJ Carr, bring a 10-game winning streak into the season and are still smarting from being left out of the playoff.

— Lane Kiffin’s first LSU team is No. 11 after finishing 7-6 and unranked under Brian Kelly and Frank Wilson.

— Ten of the 12 CFP teams last season are ranked. The two that aren’t are James Madison and Tulane from the Group of Six.

— No. 23 Houston has its first preseason ranking in four years and third since 1991.

Full AP preseason top 25 poll

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Mississippi
10. Oklahoma
11. LSU
12. Texas Tech
13. Alabama
14. BYU
15. USC
16. Michigan
17. Washington
18. Penn State
19. SMU
20. Tennessee
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Houston
24. Louisville
25. Missouri

Olson writes for the Associated Press.

FairSquare says the FIFA president should not be able to run again under the world football organisation’s statutes.

Human rights organisation FairSquare has urged FIFA to rule that Gianni Infantino is ineligible to seek another term as the football governing body’s president, arguing he ⁠has already served the maximum three terms permitted under the body’s statutes.

FIFA presidents are limited to three terms in office. However, in 2022, Infantino successfully argued that his first spell in charge, which began when he was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress ⁠in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation, should not count towards that limit because it completed an interrupted mandate.

In a letter sent to FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC) as reported by The Athletic, FairSquare said that interpretation was inconsistent with FIFA statutes.

“The complaint we have filed provides clear evidence that this is a clear breach of the rules and one that sets a very dangerous precedent,” FairSquare’s ‌Director Nicholas McGeehan told the Reuters news agency.

“The rules state clearly that three presidential terms is the maximum allowed; FIFA can’t simply circumvent this rule – which serves as a check on presidential power – by saying that his first term doesn’t count.”

Infantino is facing mounting scrutiny ahead of next year’s FIFA Congress, where he is expected to seek re-election for the 2027-31 cycle. The vote is scheduled to take place in Morocco on March 18.

Last week, UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF called for a review of Infantino’s conduct after FIFA proposed creating a $20bn subsidiary linked to its competitions, including the World Cup, to ⁠attract private investment. Sources with knowledge of the situation told Reuters that the three confederations viewed the letter ⁠as an opportunity for Infantino to quit with his dignity intact.

Several national associations have also voiced concerns. Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell told the BBC on Monday that his federation would not support Infantino’s re-election.

Infantino, however, retains the backing of the African and South American confederations.

Questions over transparency

FairSquare also questioned the transparency of the 2022 ruling, saying the committee’s reasoning had never been made public.

“The fact they didn’t provide any reasoning to support this ⁠claim, and that they announced the apparent decision two days before the final of ⁠the Qatar 2022 World Cup, suggests that they knew full well that there was no basis to discount Infantino’s first term,” McGeehan said.

The letter to the GACC was drafted with assistance from Miguel Maduro, the former head of FIFA’s independent Governance and Review Committee, who said the governing body could not disregard its ‌own rules.

“The principle of term limits was a fundamental aspect of the 2016 reform aimed at limiting power and the rule introduced is clear: no FIFA president can serve more than three terms of office,” Maduro said in a statement.

“Trying to carve ‌out ‌an exception to such a rule for Mr Infantino reveals both a resistance to the principle of term limits and how some at FIFA conceive of rules not as rules but as obstacles to be circumvented.”

Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where we’re dedicating the next two editions of Times of Troy to determining a range of outcomes for this make-or-break season of USC football. We’ll save the rose-colored takes for next week, when the Trojans will be on the doorstep of their season opener against San José State. But for today, as we did at this time last year, let’s consider the other, darker side of that same coin — and talk about how it could all go wrong.

Because, rest assured, there will be plenty of landmines to navigate through a gauntlet schedule that includes all three of the top three teams in opponent adjusted efficiency (FEI) from last season (Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State), plus the 14th-ranked team in the same category (Washington). Then there’s a trip to one of the hardest places to play in America (Penn State) to boot.

USC will need to win at least three of those five games to make the Playoff. Which is borderline cruel to ask.

For the purposes of this exercise, let’s assume that USC opens its season 3-0, with wins over San José State, Fresno State and Louisiana. Anything less, it’s fair to say, would be an unmitigated disaster.

How those three weeks go, though, will be important for the progress of USC’s young players, who need to find their bearings fast in order for USC to fulfill its potential.

It would be an especially unfortunate twist of fate for that process to be interrupted or for the team’s depth to take a hit through that easy, early stretch. But barring injury, those first three weeks should give USC time to get some of its young stars — such as receivers Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Boobie Feaster, tight end Mark Bowman, cornerback Rock Hill and defensive end Luke Wafle, especially — up to speed.

The slate really begins Sept. 19, when USC opens conference play with its furthest possible trip east, at Rutgers. With Oregon awaiting the next week and the added dynamic of cross-country travel, you could certainly convince me the Trojans could be caught flat-footed in this game, leaving things a bit too close for comfort. But if USC somehow loses to Rutgers in its Big Ten opener, coach Lincoln Riley might not make it much past Halloween.

So let’s say the Trojans are 4-0 when Oregon comes to the Coliseum in late September. Really, it’s this game that will tell us where USC is actually headed this season.

Because the stage will have never been bigger for quarterback Jayden Maiava, who had his worst game of 2025 in Eugene last fall. That performance, according to Pro Football Focus, featured double the turnover-worthy throws (six) of any other game Maiava has started at USC. Any worst-case for USC probably includes some form of unraveling from the quarterback.

But even with Maiava at his best, Oregon is still the deeper and more well-rounded team. The front seven should be as formidable as it’s ever been under coach Dan Lanning. The quarterback might be the NFL’s No. 1 overall pick next spring, and his weapons on offense are as good as any in college football. That firepower proves too much for USC, which gets beat at home for the first time since November 2024.

Losing to Oregon would be a bitter pill for a young team to swallow. And it would also be a particularly bad time to start spiraling. Because the next three weeks are all losable games. Washington has a mobile quarterback (Demond Williams) capable of wreaking havoc on USC’s defense if its front seven can’t keep him contained. And while we don’t know what to expect from new coach Matt Campbell and Penn State, the White Out at Beaver Stadium a week later will be no joke. Even Wisconsin shouldn’t be overlooked two weeks after that. Especially at Camp Randall.

There’s a world in which USC has lost three of four, we’ll spot them a win at Wisconsin, after starting the season 3-0. That slump could be an absolute back-breaker. Because guess who looms after that?

Oh, just Ohio State and Indiana.

Pretty bleak, right?

Suddenly, in this most demoralizing scenario, USC is out of the Playoff picture at the halfway point of the season. The positive vibes around Gary Patterson’s hire are gone, and a significant segment of the fanbase will have resigned themselves to never seeing a good USC defense again in their lifetimes.

The conversation around Riley’s future will have reached a fevered pitch. The seat will have gotten scorching hot. The Trojans would now be playing for their coach’s job. The pressure, on a particularly young team, would be immense.

And then, Ohio State comes to town. The Buckeyes have lost three times on the road in the last two seasons, compared to just once at home. But those three road losses were either in the postseason to a top-two team, at Oregon or the inexplicable 2024 loss to a far inferior Michigan team in The Game. Chalk this up to a loss, as Ohio State tramples over both of USC’s fronts.

Indiana, meanwhile, has yet to lose a home game in two years under Curt Cignetti. I don’t expect that to change this year, either.

So with losses to Ohio State and Indiana — and a presumably smooth win at Maryland — USC would be 6-5 heading into the crosstown rivalry. And I think we can all agree that no scenario would be more of a worse case for USC than UCLA emerging from its first season under Bob Chesney as the better-trending program between the two.

I don’t think that’s where this season is headed. This is an absolute worst-case scenario, after all. The schedule does give USC serious spiral potential. And stranger things have happened in the crosstown rivalry.

But if USC were to end this season at 6-6, with a baffling loss to the Bruins, I think I can say pretty confidently that the whole program will be headed in a new direction after that.

Will Ryon Sayeri remain USC’s kicker this season?

(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)

—Is USC’s starting offensive line already set? It’s starting to feel that way. The season-ending injury to center Kilian O’Connor limited USC’s options, with Tobias Raymond now almost assuredly set to step in there. But from what we’ve seen in open periods, there hasn’t been much movement elsewhere. Hayden Treter has been the preferred option at left guard, while Alani Noa has primarily been at right guard. Elijah Paige and Justin Tauanuu have once again been the bookends at tackle. Whether that’ll be the case by the midway point of the season, we’ll see, but USC seems confident with Treter and Noa flanking Raymond on the interior.

—Could USC make a change at kicker? Riley would like us to believe that it’s definitely a possibility, despite the fact that last season’s All-Big Ten third-team kicker Ryon Sayeri has returned. Sayeri wasn’t going to get the job last year until former Nevada Las Vegas kicker and freshman All-American Caden Chittenden got injured and relinquished it with Sayeri’s strong play. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a situation as a coach where you have like two guys that you believe in as much as I believe in them,” Riley said. Still, it would be bold to replace a guy who was as consistent as Sayeri was for most of last season.

—USC football got its Class of 2028 quarterback. Trey Wright is currently just the 25th-ranked passer in the class, according to 247 Sports. But Riley, who prefers to offer just one quarterback in each class, clearly sees something in the Frisco, Texas, signal-caller. Wright certainly piled up stats as a sophomore, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 38 touchdowns while rushing for nearly 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns. The comparisons with Kyler Murray were natural even before the Vikings quarterback, who won a Heisman with Riley, sent Wright a video that he posted on social media. Wright is just 5 feet 10 and 175 pounds. But he looks like a heck of an athlete.

—Most of USC’s starting lineup for next hoops season is injured right now. Which is not exactly … ideal. But only center Eric Reibe is expected to miss real time into the season. Georgetown transfer KJ Lewis’ ankle should be healed by the start of the season in November. He’s expected to start playing live five-on-five in October. Rodney Rice (shoulder) should be good to go before that, while other key contributors have battled through bumps and bruises this summer. Reibe’s situation is especially odd. He sought a second opinion on his foot injury, according to a person familiar with the decision, and was told to sit out the summer to try to avoid surgery. Well, he ended up getting the surgery anyway, losing seven weeks of potential recovery time.

Polling the people

This is obviously a critical season for Riley’s future, and everyone seems to have a number in mind of what it’ll take for Riley to keep his job.

So, what is the fewest number of wins you’d accept from Riley and USC without calling for a change?

6 wins
7 wins
8 wins
9 wins
10 wins/Playoff appearance

Click here to vote in our survey

What I’m watching this week

Emmy Rossum in “Furious.”

(Sarah Shatz / Disney)

You don’t see many female serial killers — estimates historically range around just 8% to 12% — but that premise is a thrilling starting point for Hulu’s new cat-and-mouse crime thriller, “Furious.” Emmy Rossum stars as Alice Black, a female FBI agent who’s tasked with tracking down a sex trafficking survivor who has taken to murdering the men who abused her.

But the show gets much deeper than that, as lines start to blur between what’s right and wrong and who’s the actual villain in the story. Only a few episodes are out so far, but what I’ve seen so far suggests we might be looking back on this show as one of the best of 2026.

In case you missed it

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava pushes to use his voice as he enters his third season

Until next time …

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The high school football season begins this weekend with zero week games. Let’s review some of the top openers.

Big opening games

Thursday

Corona Centennial vs. Servite at Orange Coast College: It’s a challenging debut for first-year Servite coach Rick Garretson going against a Matt Logan offense that should be one of his best with quarterback Jaden Jefferson, running back Malaki Davis and receiver Quentin Hale. Servite has lots of speed and a trio of outstanding linebackers, plus new quarterback Gino Wang, so let’s see if the Friars can stay close. The pick: Corona Centennial.

Murrieta Valley at Rancho Cucamonga: These two top 25 teams exude toughness. Murrieta Valley is known for daring anyone to stop their running game. Rancho Cucamonga has had a year to get quarterback Trey Towns comfortable with the offense. The pick: Murrieta Valley.

Paraclete vs. St. Bonaventure at Ventura College: Former NFL defensive back Troy Hill, in his second year as head coach, had his first off season and the results should be good. The offense will be explosive behind improving junior quarterback Jaxson Carper and a group of speedy receivers. Angelus League favorite Paraclete has St. Francis transfer Shawn Sanders.

Friday

St. John Bosco at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman: This is a real national championship game. Whomever wins can finish unbeaten by season end. St. John Bosco’s experience on defense should be beneficial, but priority No. 1 is stopping running back Terrance Grant Jr., who has a huge offensive line to support him. Junior quarterback Koa Malau’ulu is in his third season as a starter. The receiving corp was hit hard by graduation but the offensive line should be much improved with the addition of Servite transfer Elisha Mueller. The pick: St. John Bosco.

Crenshaw at Palisades: Robert Garrett has left Crenshaw after 300 career victories. Interim coach Terrence Whitehead and his group of Garrett-trained assistants have worked hard to increase the roster level. There’s lots of athleticism at quarterback with Ethan Grant, a transfer from Los Angeles, and returnee Danniel Flowers. This is the first campus football game at Palisades since the Palisades Fire in January of 2025, so emotions will be high. The pick: Crenshaw.

Chaparral at Mission Viejo: Get ready for an entertaining TV opener in which both teams have a terrific group of receivers, so it will come down to who can protect their quarterback best. That’s where Mission Viejo has an advantage with probably the best offensive line since coach Chad Johnson arrived. The pick: Mission Viejo.

Loyola at Crean Lutheran: The Cubs go on the road to face a veteran team that has added lots of transfers, and the only question is how many will be eligible come game time. There are five Crean Lutheran players committed to Arizona. The pick: Crean Lutheran.

Gardena Serra vs. Palos Verdes at El Camino College: Get ready for Serra to pound the ball with its five returning offensive linemen and new running back AJ McBean. Palos Verdes has four-year starter Ryan Rakowski at quarterback to work his magic. Look for Serra’s speed advantage to be tough to stop. The pick: Serra.

Tustin at San Clemente: The Tritons won their game in Hawaii. Their defense faces a challenge from a Tustin team that has standout receiver Hayden Koo among a number of college prospect. But with Jaxson Rex leading the way, San Clemente figures to get some turnovers. The pick: San Clemente.

Here’s the complete zero week schedule.

All-City linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick of Crenshaw has grown to 6 feet 3, 220 pounds entering his senior season.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The Times’ nine-part series previewing some of Southern California’s best football players continues on Monday with a profile of Crenshaw linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick, who had to overcome the loss of his mother and father within weeks of each other. Here’s the profile.

If you missed any of the profiles, here’s the link.

Southern California teams traveled to Hawaii last week and came away 9-0. Chaminade, Villa Park, San Juan Hills, Viewpoint, Edison, Beaumont, San Clemente, Newport Harbor and Capistrano Valley all won their openers.

Chaminade receiver Andrew Cordero had two touchdown catches from sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu in a 38-9 win over Leilehua.

San Juan Hills beat Castle 67-0. Nikos Ioja rushed for 93 yards.

Bellflower showed off two promising freshmen receivers in a scrimmage: Ke’Ondre Smith and Ryan Clark. They could help with Austin Miller out with an injury.

JSerra quarterback Kate Meier reaches across the goal line for the winning touchdown an instant before her flag is pulled.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Defending Southern Section Division 1 champion JSerra showed Saturday that it remains the team to beat in 2026 by winning the Chargers tournament Gold Division championship over Newport Harbor.

Sophomore quarterback Kate Meier and a terrific defense sparked the Lions to victory. JSerra defeated Orange Lutheran in the semifinals in a rematch of last year’s Division 1 final.

Right before its opening game of the season and its first game in school history, Sierra Canyon was able to get eligible quarterback Makena Cook, who transferred from Orange Lutheran. The Trailblazers played in the Chargers tournament and should be much stronger when the transfer sit-out period ends for those who did not change residences.

Here’s The Times’ top 10 Southern California rankings.

Girls volleyball

Coach Morgan Wijay of Harvard-Westlake has her team playing well to start the girls volleyball season.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

In a season-opening matchup between reigning state champions, Harvard-Westlake pushed Mater Dei to five sets before senior outside hitter Westley Matavao took control in the Monarchs’ 26-28, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-8 victory in Studio City. The UCLA commit had 16 kills, 19 digs and six aces while Cal-bound middle blocker Emma Kingston had 13 kills for Mater Dei, which has won the CIF Open Division state championship twice in the last three years.

Brooke Cotter and Ruby Sampson had 12 kills apiece and Princeton commit Sophia Cotter added 11 kills for Harvard-Westlake, which won the Division 1 state title last fall under first-year coach Morgan Wijay, who had spent the previous 10 seasons at Alemany and guided that program to section titles in 2021 and 2022. The Wolverines finished third in the Mission League last year after being swept twice by Sierra Canyon and Marymount and are projected to be third again.

Mater Dei is the heavy favorite to repeat as Trinity League champion having added five transfers — two of those from its own league.

Sierra Canyon won the prestigious Ann Kang tournament in Hawaii, beating one top team after another.

Here’s the girls’ volleyball preview from The Times.

Jake Bauers’ journey

Former Marina first baseman Jake Bauers has 21 home runs for the Milwaukee Brewers.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

From not making the varsity at Marina High until his junior year to hitting 21 home runs this season for the Milwaukee Brewers to marrying the girl he met in 10th grade, Jake Bauers’ journey has been quite rewarding. He went four for four on Sunday at Dodger Stadium against the Dodgers.

Here’s a look after speaking with him last week at Petco Park.

Interesting nicknames

High schools sometimes come up with the strangest nicknames for their sports teams.

Now someone has come up with the 50 most interesting nicknames.

Here’s the report.

CIF media rights contract with PlayOn Sports and the NFHS Network.

(Los Angeles Times)

The CIF has reached agreement with PlayOn Sports, the owner of MaxPreps, the NFHS Network and GoFan, on a 10-year, $11.1 million broadcast rights deal.

Here’s the report.

Trouble at El Camino Real

El Camino Real players celebrate winning a 10th City Section baseball title at Dodger Stadium.

(Craig Weston)

As if replacing its executive director and assistant principal in charge of athletics wasn’t enough summer drama for El Camino Real, now the school has put on leave multiple coaches and launched an investigation over a dispute about first-aid cards and why they couldn’t be found in the Red Cross database.

Here’s the report.

Notes . . .

Multiple El Camino Real coaches have been placed on administrative leave because of a school investigation. The school has been in turmoil since the summer when the executive director and assistant principal in charge of athletics were both ousted. Here’s the report.…

Former Crespi pitcher Tim Leveque is the interim pitching coach for the Angels….

La Mirada Junior Little League won the World Series championship, beating Taipei 6-3 on a 10th-inning three-run home run from Jaylen Valdez, who is one of seven players on the team already enrolled as freshmen at La Mirada High….

Infielder Ian Nunez from La Mirada has committed to Cal State Northridge….

St. Bernard will be getting a new all-weather turf field in 2027….

Linebacker Ezekiel Su’a of Mater Dei has committed to Dartmouth….

Catcher Maddie Schepp from Torrance has committed to Fresno State softball….

Jaylee Moore of Etiwanda has committed to Hawaii for women’s basketball….

Arcadia will not use its longtime nickname Apaches this school year as it transitions to a different mascot after a new state law. It will use only Arcadia this year.

From the archives: Cody Fajardo

Former Servite quarterback Cody Fajardo has found a home in the Canadian Football League. He was MVP of the Grey Cup in 2023 in leading the Montreal Alouettes to the championship. He’s with the Edmonton Elks, his fifth team. This season, he’s completing 70% of his passes.

The 34-year-old helped Servite win the 2009 Southern Section Division 1 championship, then became starting quarterback at Nevada. He’s always been known for his ability to pass and run while showing toughness.

Here’s a story from 2009 on Fajardo’s magic as a high school quarterback.

Here’s a story from 2023 after he won the Grey Cup.

Recommendations

From MLB.com, a story on former Thousand Oaks shortstop Jacob Wilson setting a major league record with 111 consecutive games without making an error.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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Italian media reports the Cagliari forward rescued after swallowing a lot of water in a swimming pool in Porto Cervo.

French footballer Yael Trepy, who plays for Serie A club Cagliari, is in intensive care, the Italian club has confirmed, with media reporting that the 20-year-old nearly drowned in a swimming pool.

Cagliari said that Trepy “is currently in intensive care at the hospital in Sassari,” adding that the club remains “in close contact with the medical staff and the player’s family”.

“The club asks for privacy to be respected and will provide further updates as soon as possible,” Cagliari said in a statement, without disclosing the circumstances of the incident.

Italian media reported that Trepy had to be rescued on Sunday after swallowing a lot of water in a swimming pool in Porto Cervo, northern Sardinia.

Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma, the reports added.

Trepy, a forward who scored once in eight Serie A appearances last season, joined Cagliari’s academy in 2022 from Paris-based team Union Sportive Creteil.

Cagliari were last in action on Friday, beating Arezzo 1-0 in the Coppa Italia, with Trepy playing for 54 minutes.

Does Guimaraes complete the midfield? Can Arsenal finally win the Champions League? And who is set for a breakout season?

Arsenal begin their first Premier League title defence in 22 years on Friday with a home game against newly promoted Coventry.

The Gunners, who lost in the Champions League final on penalties last season, are also hoping this is the season they can finally be crowned champions of Europe.

So the English champions face plenty of key talking points before the season – here are the five key ones.

Can Arsenal successfully defend title for the first time in 90 years?

With major rivals City and Liverpool rebuilding under Enzo Maresca and Andoni Iraola respectively, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s methods are tested and trusted after ⁠nearly seven years at the helm.

His well-established side will be confident they can defy history and win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1935.

They have also strengthened their squad with a few key signings – not least bringing in Bruno Guimaraes to bolster the midfield and replacing the outgoing Leandro Trossard with a likely upgrade in Greek winger Christos Tzolis.

But centre-back William Saliba’s long-term back injury will be a big blow for a side that won the league while conceding just 27 goals.

And the Gunners’ reliance on set-pieces may face more scrutiny from referees this season after some rule changes and some contentious flashpoints last season.

“Now, we have to show that we belong to this level and we want to increase and take this football club to a different dimension,” Arteta said.

His side were certainly impressive in their first competitive game of the season, sending a clear message of intent to their rivals as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.

Can Arsenal finally win the Champions League?

Arsenal are the club with the most European Cup/Champions League appearances in history without ever lifting the trophy – 226 games and counting – and last season’s final loss to PSG on penalties in Budapest will sting for a long time.

They had built the run to Budapest on defensive resilience, conceding only six goals in 14 European matches, and led through Kai Havertz inside six minutes. However, PSG equalised from the penalty spot and eventually won the shootout 4-3, with Gabriel Magalhaes missing the decisive kick.

PSG are now back-to-back champions chasing a three-peat, and Bayern Munich ran PSG very close in their semifinal. But Arteta’s side have shown they can compete with anyone in Europe – they just need to find that extra gear.

Does Guimaraes complete the midfield?

Arsenal’s marquee signing of the transfer window was Guimaraes from Newcastle for 75 million pounds ($101.5m). The versatile Brazilian captained his previous club and brings all-round quality and leadership to the Arsenal midfield, easing some of the pressure on Declan Rice, who struggled with injuries during the end of the season and at the World Cup.

Arteta seems to have little doubt that Guimaraes can adapt quickly to a title-defending side. He certainly slotted in well during the Community Shield win over City, impressing with some key tackles and spraying around some beautiful passes.

“He’s a warrior with a tremendous quality as well and intuition and leadership and charisma that is going to help us, that is going to really ignite something different in the team,” ‌Arteta said.

“He’s going to push everybody inside the team as well and that’s the type of player that we need.”

Can Gyokeres set up a level?

Arsenal fans were hoping that Viktor Gyokeres would be the club’s first reliable number nine for many years.

But while his first season delivered 14 Premier League goals and 21 in all competitions, it was a solid if unspectacular return.

With Arsenal having strengthened around him rather than bringing in competition up front, the pressure is on Gyokeres to kick on from a decent debut year into a prolific one.

Is Max Dowman set for a breakthrough season?

Dowman turned 16 in December, and the attacking midfielder scored a sensational stoppage-time winner against Everton in March to become the youngest scorer in Premier League history.

Arteta has been careful to strike a balance between exposure and protection, pointing to school commitments and workload management as much as footballing readiness in limiting Dowman’s appearances.

The youngster is likely to feature more in cup competitions this season, but if he performs to his apparent potential, Arteta may even feel compelled to play him in some of the biggest games of the season.

New Scotland boss Sebastien Pocognoli says the passionate nature of Scottish football was a key factor in his taking the job.

Pocognoli, 39, was confirmed as Steve Clarke’s successor on Sunday and introduced himself to the media on Monday.

Clarke ended his seven-year reign earlier this summer after Scotland failed to progress from the World Cup group stage after a victory over Haiti was followed by defeats by Morocco and Brazil.

Former Belgium defender Pocognoli left Monaco at the end of last season and previously led Union Saint-Gilloise to their first league title in 90 years in 2024-25.

He becomes only the second foreign boss of the Scotland men’s team, after the German Berti Vogts, and believes he has what it takes to build on Clarke’s “strong foundation”.

“I’m very proud to be here,” Pocognoli said, flanked by Scottish Football Association (SFA) chiefs Ian Maxwell and Craig Mulholland at his introduction.

“It’s a very strong challenge, with a project to develop the future of Scottish football. There are the metrics, but the human aspect was also very important. I never go to a challenge where I can’t feel the connection.

“Scotland is a passionate country and I think also, regarding the strong foundation that Steve Clarke and his staff laid, that I can use this heritage to put the next accent on the style of play while also developing players for the future.

“That’s why I’m here.”

The Indomitable Lionesses outshine their opponents to claim first final victory on their fourth attempt in Morocco.

Cameroon claimed their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title when they thumped surprise package Malawi 3-0 in the final, with Marie Ngah’s first-half double helping seal victory on Sunday.

Cameroon had lost three finals but made it fourth-time lucky against a Malawi side making their debut at the continental championship. Ranked 153 in the world and 32nd on the African continent, Malawi had a fairytale run to the decider.

The two finalists had already sealed their place at the Women’s World Cup in Brazil next year, along with fellow semifinalists Morocco and Algeria. The latter finished third after winning the bronze medal fixture on penalties on Saturday.

Under pressure, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino was all smiles as he handed the Indomitable Lionesses their medals in the presence of Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe, with several players requesting photographs with the Swiss.

Infantino has long enjoyed the support of many on the African continent as he bids for re-election next March, despite revelations of his now-abandoned plans to sell a stake in future World Cups, which drew worldwide condemnation.

Cameroon dominated the first half and led 3-0 at the break after a superb performance against an outgunned Malawi.

Ngah reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box to give them the lead from close range after 20 minutes and they doubled the advantage on the half-hour mark as Naomi Eto added a second.

Malawi were clinging on and hoping to make it to halftime without any further damage but Ngah scored her second in the third minute of added time from Eto’s pass.

Cameroon are the fourth different winners of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since it was first played in 1998.

Nigeria have a record 10 titles, while Equatorial Guinea have two and South Africa one.

Spain’s World Cup-winning captain Rodri is returning to his homeland after Man City agree transfer to Barcelona.

Manchester City have accepted a 65.4 million pounds ($88.47m) bid from Barcelona for their World Cup-winning Spain midfielder Rodri, British media have reported.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has agreed a four-year deal with the Spanish champions, Sky Sports said on Sunday, and will head to the Nou Camp to complete the transfer next week.

Rodri won 12 major honours at City, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League after 298 appearances in seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium.

Rodri, who joined City from Atletico Madrid for a then-club record 62.8 million pounds (about $80m) in 2019, had one year left on his contract and City had wanted him to sign an extension.

The 30-year-old missed City’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday, having only returned to the club’s training ground on Friday following minor back surgery.

The Times’ top 10 high school flag football rankings:

1. JSerra (6-0)
Won the Gold Division at the Chargers Invitational. MVP quarterback Kate Meier has accounted for 11 scores in the last three games.
Next: Tuesday vs. Woodbridge.

2. Newport Harbor (5-1)
The Sailors outscored their first five opponents 97-0 before falling to JSerra 23-6 in the Chargers Invitational championship game.
Next: August 24 vs. Woodbridge.

3. Edison (5-1)
All five of the Chargers’ wins so far have been shutouts. Their biggest test comes Thursday night in a nonleague game at JSerra.
Next: Thursday at JSerra.

4, Orange Lutheran (3-1)
Lost to JSerra at the Chargers Invitational but will have two chances to avenge it in Trinity League matchups Sept 22 and Oct. 13.
Next: Thursday at La Serna.

5. Beckman (5-0)
Won the Division 2 Navy bracket at the Chargers Invitational, beating Mira Costa in the final on Hayden Freedman’s clutch catch.
Next: Wednesday vs. San Juan Hills.

6. Westlake (3-2)
The Warriors gave JSerra its toughest game at the Chargers Invitational, losing by only 13 points. They also nearly beat Torrey Pines.
Next: Tuesday vs. Oak Park.

7. Huntington Beach (3-1)
Fast start behind quarterback and captain Roxie Shaia, highlighted by 18-point victory over Torrey Pines at Chargers Invitational.
Next: Aug. 24 vs. Los Alamitos.

8. Corona del Mar (4-1)
Convincing victories over Ocean View, La Serna and Bishop Amat. Will host a showdown against Huntington Beach on Aug. 26.
Next: Tuesday vs. Santa Margarita.

9. Lakewood St. Joseph (3-0)
Senior quarterback Lexi Loya has already thrown for 679 yards and 13 touchdowns, including five in a 40-6 victory over Corona.
Next: Monday at Cypress.

10. Eagle Rock (0-0)
Quarterback Nylah Moore and the Eagles open the season Monday versus Panorama in a rematch of last fall’s City Open semifinals.
Next: Monday vs. Panorama.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Granada Hills Kennedy at Eagle Rock

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Arroyo Valley at Colton

Banning at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

Bellflower at Santa Ana

Buena at Castaic

Carter at Kaiser

Cerritos at Cypress

Colony at Alta Loma

Compton at Long Beach Jordan

Corona Centennial vs. Servite at Orange Coast College

Desert Mirage at Duarte

Diamond Bar at Grand Terrace

Etiwanda at Cajon

Garden Grove Pacifica at Beckman

Glendora at San Dimas

Godinez at Irvine University

Great Oak at Vista Murrieta

Huntington Beach at Millikan

Katella at Loara, 6:30 p.m.

La Salle at Cantwell-Sacred Heart

Los Altos at Diamond Ranch

Murrieta Valley at Rancho Cucamonga

Palm Springs at Hemet

Paraclete at St. Bonaventure

Pomona at Lakeside

Ramona at Riverside King

Rancho Christian at Ganesha

Redlands at Fontana

Redlands East Valley at Rancho Verde

Riverside North at Los Osos

Saddleback at Garden Grove Santiago

St. Margaret’s at Arlington

Victor Valley at West Covina

INTERSECTIONAL

Garfield at Montebello

Magnolia at Orlando University (Florida), 4 p.m.

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Bernstein at Hawkins

Canoga Park at Arleta, 3:30 p.m.

Carson at Lincoln

Crenshaw at Palisades

Dymally at Dorsey

Fairfax at Hollywood

Fremont at Van Nuys

Granada Hills at North Hollywood

Grant at Los Angeles Wilson

Legacy at Maywood CES

Los Ángeles Marshall at Contreras

Los Ángeles University at Lincoln

Marquez at Verdugo Hills

Narbonne at Cleveland

Panorama at Arroyo

Reseda at Fulton, 3:30 p.m.

Roybal at Jefferson

San Pedro at King/Drew

South East at Wilmington Banning

Sun Valley Poly at Taft

Torres at Manual Arts

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Adelanto at Littlerock

Alhambra at Hacienda Heights Wilson

Anaheim Canyon at La Palma Kennedy

Apple Valley at Moorpark

Aquinas at Damien

Arroyo at Azusa

Beaumont at San Jacinto

Beverly Hills at Placentia Valencia

Bishop Amat at St. Paul

Bishop Montgomery at Segerstrom

Bloomington at Corona

Bolsa Grande at Garden Grove

Brea Olinda at Marina

Buena Park at Don Lugo

Calabasas at Alemany

California at Nogales

California Military at Santa Ana Valley

Camarillo at Santa Barbara

Canyon Springs at St. Anthony

Cerritos Valley Christian at Gahr

Channel Islands at Santa Paula

Chaparral at Mission Viejo

Chino at Ontario Christian

Chino Hills at Quartz Hill

Citrus Hill at Jurupa Hills

Claremont at Valley View

Corona del Mar at Lakewood

Covina at La Puente

Dana Hills at San Marcos

Del Sol at Oxnard Pacifica

Desert Hot Springs at Tahquitz

Dominguez at Maranatha

Dos Pueblos at Santa Ynez

Eastvale Roosevelt at Norco

El Monte at Arcadia

Elsinore at Patriot

El Toro at Tesoro

Esperanza at Shadow Hills

Fillmore at La Canada

Fountain Valley at Ocean View

Fullerton at Anaheim

Gabrielino at Artesia

Gardena Serra vs. Palos Verdes at El Camino College

Glendale at San Gabriel

Golden Valley at Pasadena

Grace at Arrowhead Christian

Granite Hills at Sultana

Harvard-Westlake vs. West Ranch at Valencia

Heritage at Garey

Hesperia at Palmdale

Hillcrest at Riverside Poly

Hoover at Nordhoff

Indian Springs at Montclair

Inglewood at Los Alamitos

Irvine at Northwood

Jurupa Valley at Chaffey

Keppel at Compton Centennial

Knight at Canyon Country Canyon

La Habra at Upland

Laguna Hills at Santa Ana Foothill

La Serna at Baldwin Park

Lawndale at Norwalk

Liberty at Temecula Valley

Linfield Christian at Orange Vista

Lompoc Cabrillo at Burbank

Long Beach Cabrillo at Sonora

Long Beach Poly at Downey

Long Beach Wilson at Mayfair

Loyola at Crean Lutheran

Miller at San Gorgonio

Mira Costa at Torrance

Monrovia at Brentwood

Moreno Valley at Eisenhower

Mountain View at Glenn

Muir at Bonita

Murrieta Mesa at Newport Harbor

North Torrance at Orange

Northview at Thousand Oaks

Nuview Bridge at Pacific

Oak Hills at Highland

Oaks Christian at Chaminade

Paloma Valley at Temescal Canyon

Portola at Woodbridge

Rancho Mirage at Yucca Valley

Redondo Union at El Segundo

Rio Hondo Prep at Schurr

Rio Mesa at Hueneme

Riverside Notre Dame at Costa Mesa

Riverside Prep at Century

San Marino at Vasquez

Santa Clara at Firebaugh

Santa Fe at Pioneer

Santa Rosa Academy at Cathedral City

Saugus ar Agoura

Serrano at Warren

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Crespi

Sierra Canyon at JSerra

Sierra Vista at Walnut

Silverado at Vista del Lago

South Hills at El Rancho

South Pasadena at Peninsula, 4:30 p.m.

South Torrance at Burbank Burroughs

St. Bernard vs. Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande

Summit at Ayala

Temple City at Whittier

Trabuco Hills at Norte Vista

Trinity Classical Academy at Sage Hill

Tustin at San Clemente

Twentynine Palms at Desert Christian Academy

Valencia at Simi Valley

Western at Salesian

Western Christian at Workman

Westlake at Newbury Park

Westminster at Sunny Hills

West Valley at Capistrano Valley Christian

Xavier Prep at Rim of the World

Yorba Linda at Laguna Beach

Yucaipa at Corona Santiago

INTERSECTIONAL

American Fork (Utah) vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

Angelou at Oak Park

Antelope Valley at Kern Valley

Anza Hamilton at Mountain Empire

Bassett at Mendez

Bell Gardens at Bell

Birmingham vs. Hart at College of the Canyons

Bishop Diego at Paso Robles

Boron at Big Bear

Bosco Tech at Los Angeles Jordan

California City at Eastside

El Camino Real at Lihue Kauai (Hawaii), 4 p.m.

Gardena at Hawthorne

Heritage Christian at San Fernando

La Mirada at South Gate

Lancaster at Henderson Coronado (Nevada)

Las Vegas Centennial (Nevada) at Cathedral

Las Vegas Somerset Academy Losee (Nevada) at Barstow

Lynwood at Franklin

Miami Central (Florida) at Orange Lutheran

Mission College Prep at Oxnard

Monroe at Royal

Orlando Jones (Florida) at Santa Margarita

Palm Desert at Brawley

Paramount at Los Angeles Roosevelt

Perris at Kearny

Rancho Dominguez at Rosemead

River Springs at San Marcos St. Joseph Academy

San Diego Clairemont at Viewpoint

San Jacinto Valley Academy at Valhalla

San Marcos at Aliso Niguel

Santee at South El Monte

St. John Bosco at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman (Nevada)

Tehachapi at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Tri-City Christian at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, 3:30 p.m.

Venice at St. Monica

Village Christian at Huntington Park

Vincent Memorial at Temecula Prep

Westchester at Santa Monica

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

New Designs University Park at Sherman Oaks CES

SOUTHERN SECTION

Coast Valley League

San Luis Obispo Classical at Coast Union

Majestic League

Entrepreneur at United Christian Academy

Nonleague

Calvary Baptist at Southlands Christian

Lancaster Desert Christian at Maricopa

INTERSECTIONAL

Alpaugh at Cuyama Valley

East Valley at PAL Academy, 3 p.m.

Valley Oaks CES at Frazier Mountain, 5 p.m.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Compton Early College at Savanna, 1 p.m.

Whittier Christian at La Sierra

INTERSECTIONAL

Viewpoint at Clairemont, 6 p.m.

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Coastal Christian at Laguna Blanca, 1 p.m.

Cornerstone Christian at California Lutheran, 10 a.m.

Great Britain’s women’s flag football team suffered defeat at the World Championships as they missed out on qualifying for the 2028 Olympics.

The two-time defending European champions fought back to take the bronze-medal game to the final play, only for Mexico to clinch a 20-19 win in Dusseldorf, Germany.

That also meant Mexico – the world’s top-ranked team – secured a spot at Los Angeles 2028, when the non-contact version of American football will make its Olympic debut.

GB got off to a poor start as they were intercepted on their first two drives, with the second punished by a touchdown that put Mexico 13-0 up.

An Angelica Tait touchdown saw GB, who are ranked third in the world, get up and running before Mexico struck again to make it 20-6.

Grace Conway almost claimed an interception, which she could have run in for a touchdown, and GB ran out of time on offence as they aimed to cut the score before half-time.

But they closed to within a point through two touchdowns from Emily Kemp – the tournament’s leading scorer – then went for a two-point conversion to take the lead with two minutes left.

Although Kemp caught Jess Allen’s pass at the back of the endzone, her left foot came down just out of bounds, meaning Mexico could run down the clock to seal victory.

“We fell into a bit of a hole,” GB’s head coach Jack Reed told BBC Sport. “The drive at the end of the first half and the drop for the pick-six were unfortunate.

“I knew we’d fight, I knew we weren’t out of it, and we held them scoreless in the second half. But it’s a game of inches and Emily was out by an inch.”

The USA came from behind to beat GB 27-21 in the semi-finals and set up a meeting with Canada in the final.

The USA automatically qualify for LA28 as hosts and will be joined by Canada and Mexico, while GB must wait two years for another chance to qualify.

“I’m super proud of the team,” added Reed. “We showed the world that we can compete with anybody in the world. We played the number one ranked team today and number two yesterday (USA).

“We had an opportunity to win both games, they went down to the very end, so I think we earned the respect of the flag football world and surprised a lot of people.”

GB’s men beat Brazil 33-26 on Sunday to finish 13th overall, while the USA beat Italy 46-26 to secure their sixth straight world title.

Canada claimed a 34-26 overtime win over Mexico in the bronze-medal game to ensure they and Italy punched their ticket to LA28 this weekend.