Aaron Donald said Friday that he planned to make his season debut for the Rams against the New York Giants on Monday night, but star receiver Puka Nacua’s status is more hazy because of a hip injury.
Donald, 35, rejoined the Rams after ending a two-year retirement. The three-time NFL defensive player of the year did not travel to Australia for the season-opening defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, but he has participated in several 11-on-11 drills this week.
Asked if he would play on Monday, Donald said, “That’s the plan.”
Donald’s plan? Or the Rams’?
“I think that’s all of our plan,” he said. “We have a conversation, we figure it out.”
Donald said he felt as if he had never been away.
“Kind of getting in the groove of things, understanding everything a lot better out there playing a lot more free, a lot more loose and looking more like myself to me,” he said.
Nacua, who was sidelined for a few weeks during the preseason because of a psoas injury, caught five passes for 74 yards against the 49ers and practiced on Thursday. The psoas is involved in hip movement, so it is not clear whether Nacua’s absence was caused by the same injury or a new one.
Nacua was scheduled to speak with reporters on Friday, but did not do so because he did not practice. Coach Sean McVay is scheduled to speak with reporters on Saturday.
Regardless, the Rams are expected to get a boost from Donald, an eight-time All-Pro.
Edge rusher Byron Young played with Donald as a rookie in 2023. Now he will be playing alongside him again.
MIAMI — Dodgers owner Mark Walter and multiple insurance companies he owns have been sued, alleging they failed to disclose an ongoing federal probe to customers while directing policyholders’ money into Walter’s other companies.
The lawsuit lists Walter, Delaware Life Insurance Co., Clear Spring Life and Annuity, TWG Global Holdings and Walter’s Guggenheim Partners investment firm as defendants.
Ira Rosner, a 67-year-old Florida man, brought the class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Miami on Wednesday. He purchased a policy from Delaware Life in April and he had until late May to withdraw his money without penalty. However, the company did not disclose the investigation to him until June,
Rosner is seeking a jury trial in the lawsuit that seeks damages for negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract and aiding and abetting fraud.
TWG Global didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Walter has been under investigation since last year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and the Securities and Exchange Commission following a whistleblower complaint regarding alleged misrepresented loans made between companies within his business portfolio.
TWG Global Holdings is the holding company through which Walter controls Delaware Life, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Co. and his stake in Guggenheim Partners. TWG Global denied any wrongdoing involving the probe in a statement last month.
Walter and co-owner Todd Boehly sold their stakes in English Premier League club Chelsea this week. Last month, Walter agreed to sell the Lakers in a surprise move less than a year after buying the NBA franchise from the Buss family. The deal is under review by the league.
The Dodgers have been adamant that Walter has no plans to sell the baseball team.
Mark Walter may be selling the Lakers, but the new owners plan to take a money-making page out of the Dodgers’ playbook nonetheless: Dump the ticket brokers and leverage control over the resale market to drive up the cost of a ticket.
As a result, the average price for a Lakers ticket could rise from $217 to $361 within the next two years, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing documents prepared for potential investors.
Thrive Eternal, the sports properties company run by incoming Lakers owner Joshua Kushner, declined to comment because the NBA has not yet approved the sale.
However, the $361 figure was intended to illustrate to potential investors how much incremental ticket revenue the Lakers could gain by booting the brokers, not to signal another immediate and steep price hike, according to a person familiar with the deal but not authorized to comment publicly about it.
In February, under Walter’s ownership, the Lakers announced significant increases in ticket prices for the 2026-27 season. No announcement has been made for seasons beyond then, but the investor presentation provides information on how prices have increased for NBA tickets across the league.
Sports teams often enjoyed long and beneficial relationships with brokers, who bought out blocks of season tickets. That guaranteed the teams with revenue, with brokers benefiting from a markup for popular games but taking the risk that tickets to less popular games would sell at a loss, or not at all.
Over the past decade, the Dodgers and other teams have kicked out the brokers and taken that risk themselves, with the aid of dynamic pricing: the constant raising or lowering of ticket prices based on real-time supply and demand. For the Dodgers, the worst tickets seldom fall to market rate, because the team would rather live with a few empty seats rather than condition fans to hold out for a lower price.
The Dodgers lead the major leagues in attendance, on pace to sell 4 million tickets for the second consecutive season. The Lakers played to 99.8% of capacity last season, according to ESPN. So the calculus is simple for both teams: Sell a $100 ticket to a broker, who would then sell it for $200; or cut out the broker, sell the ticket for $200, and pocket the $100 difference.
Kushner and former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger agreed last month to buy controlling interest in the Lakers, at a $12.5-billion valuation. The world’s most valuable sports team, according to Sportico: the Dallas Cowboys, at $15.5 billion.
According to the Journal, the Thrive Eternal investor pitch projected that the Lakers could leverage increases in ticket prices, media rights, sponsorships and international growth to generate close to $600 million in annual profit by 2037, when the value of the franchise could reach $30 billion.
Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong holds a 4% stake in the Lakers. He is not selling his stake in the Lakers, his attorney told The Times last month, in part because “we believe they are still undervalued.”
Chelsea signed a striker from Brighton for the second successive summer, bringing in Welbeck to reunite him with Joao Pedro and provide support in attack.
Welbeck, 35, was tidy in possession but, with little service, managed only 17 touches before being substituted in the 71st minute.
Unlike Joao Pedro, who is capable of creating chances for himself, Welbeck found it difficult to influence the game in the same way.
Joao Pedro came into the weekend with the most goal involvements in the Premier League, having scored three and provided three assists in four appearances this season.
His impact extends beyond goals and assists, with the Brazilian linking well with Palmer and Rogers. Against Brentford, however, Rogers arguably produced his quietest performance since arriving from Aston Villa in the summer.
Rogers eventually moved up front with fellow striker Emmanuel Emegha sidelined through injury and still waiting to make his Chelsea debut.
Before Brentford‘s opener, it was a closely contested match that appeared likely to be decided by the first goal. Chelsea, however, made victory a certainty for the hosts with a dramatic collapse.
Alonso has not managed to cure Chelsea‘s set-piece weaknesses. They have conceded 23 goals from set-pieces since the start of last season – no Premier League side has let in more. And Anthony’s simple header from a corner took this season’s total to five.
Set-piece defending was an area Chelsea sought to address when they appointed Bernardo Cueva from Brentford two years ago. This summer, he was replaced by another highly regarded specialist in Austin MacPhee.
Asked about Chelsea‘s defending from set-pieces, stand-in captain Levi Colwill told Sky Sports: “Not good enough. At times we have been bullied in the box and we definitely need to improve.
“We have full trust in our set-piece coach and are still adjusting to new ideas, but we need to improve as a team.”
Like many of his predecessors, Alonso has been attempting to instil a stronger competitive edge within his squad and improve the mentality of his players.
That issue has often been linked to the relatively young age profile of the squad, but Chelsea fielded their oldest starting XI since May 2023. Henderson, in making his debut on Friday, lined up alongside fellow over-30s Welbeck and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
“I would say that we have dropped our consistency and our competitive mentality in the second half. We know that small details can be decisive,” Alonso said after Brentford added two late goals.
It is also fair to say Alonso is still experimenting with systems and personnel, and has yet to settle on a style of play that gives his side control throughout a match.
“It’s not about looking for excuses,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports. “We need to look at each other and know that we have to work and improve because there is still a long way to go.”
After the initial excitement – and victories – provided by Alonso’s attacking football, Chelsea head into the international break with serious questions to answer.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews is full of praise after a resounding 3-0 win against West London rivals Chelsea, branding them “brilliant” following a unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign.
An Australian indoor fitness athlete apologized Thursday for continuing to participate in a recent competition after apparently soiling herself.
Joanna Wietrzyk, a 24-year-old Melborne resident, could be seen with what appears to be fecal matter on parts of her body as she competed in a Hyrox event Saturday in Beijing, China. Despite that, she was permitted to stay in the race — even though the running-workout event involves the shared use of equipment by multiple competitors — and eventually was declared the winner with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute and 23 seconds.
Wietrzyk has decided to “retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned,” she indicated in a Sept. 18 statement posted on Instagram.
“I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the HYROX organizers for what happened during the race in Beijing,” Wietrzyk wrote.
“I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness. Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize that I should have made a different choice. I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused.
“I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected. I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away.”
The message contrasted from that of a post Wietrzyk made earlier in the week that, according to the Athletic, also included a selfie of the athlete apparently in a hospital bed.
“Go hard or go home … a win is a win,” the since-deleted post reportedly said. “In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I’ll be back soon.”
First introduced in 2017, Hyrox indoor fitness competitions are made up of eight 1-kilometer (.62-mile) runs that are separated by intense exercises at eight different workout stations (ski ergometer, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jump, rowing, farmer’s carry, sandbag lunges and medicine ball squat/throw). Wietrzyk holds the world record in the women’s event with a time of 54:26 set earlier this year.
Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste posted a statement Sunday on Instagram apologizing for “the recent events in China” and indicating that the competition has taken unspecified steps to prevent another such occurrence.
“I apologise to all that were directly or indirectly affected, as well as to everyone who felt like we did not handle the situation like we should have,” Fürste wrote. “HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race. In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents — and I did not.
“Of course, we started improving event processes, plus making rulebook changes immediately. As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again.”
Who: Brighton vs Arsenal What: English Premier League Where: Amex Stadium, Brighton in United Kingdom When: Saturday, September 19, at 3pm (14:00 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up to our live text commentary stream from 11:00 GMT.
Premier League holders Arsenal head to Brighton on Saturday with a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to three points.
Second-placed Manchester City, who have also won four from four to start the new English top-flight season, entertain Sunderland on Sunday.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the game, which produced a feisty finale in the clubs’ last meeting.
What was the issue between Arsenal and Brighton last season?
Mikel Arteta has made peace with Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler following their row last season as the pair go head-to-head again on Saturday.
Hurzeler criticised Arteta’s style of play during a 1-0 loss to the Gunners at the Amex Stadium in March.
The German said “only one team tried to play football” and accused Arsenal of “making their own rules”.
With the champions heading back to Brighton in the top flight this weekend, the spotlight will be fixed on the touchline to see if the spat lingers.
Hurzeler refused to back down this week when quizzed on his comments from last season.
“I think it’s very important that in football there are opinions,” he said.
“I will definitely always share my opinion if I am asked. But, in the end, I congratulate Arsenal for being deserved champions. They deserved it.”
Speaking on Friday, Arteta insisted there was no bad blood over Hurzeler’s blast.
“That’s all done. That’s all in the past,” the Arsenal manager told reporters.
“I have huge respect for Fabian, and what he’s done and what Brighton has done as a club.
“It’s just remarkable, and tomorrow is going to be a beautiful game to watch, I’m sure.”
How have Arsenal started the new season?
Arsenal have made a flying start to their Premier League title defence, with four successive victories taking them to the top of the table.
The north Londoners also won their opening Champions League match against Napoli and booked their place in the League Cup fourth round on Tuesday with a win at Ipswich.
Teenage playmaker Max Dowman starred against Ipswich in his first appearance this season, scoring twice to underline why he is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the Premier League.
The 16-year-old has made his case for a bigger role in Arteta’s plans after being an unused substitute in the opening weeks.
But when asked if the teenager has been knocking on his door to play, Arteta said: “The best way to knock on the door is to do it on the pitch, not in the office.
“Then you just leave out the arguments. When a player delivers constantly on the pitch, every single day in training, that’s the best way, that’s the best signal for the manager.”
How does Arsenal’s start rank in their history?
Including the Community Shield against Manchester City, Arsenal have won seven consecutive matches.
Another victory on the south coast would equal the club’s 123-year record for their best start to a campaign.
“We know how complicated it is to win a football match at this level. So, to win seven, it tells a story,” Arteta said.
“After the World Cup, there were a lot of unknowns about how the players and the team were going to react. We didn’t have any time with them to work together.
“But I said from day one, the attitude and what I was seeing, I was really impressed with. Then you have to put it down to performances.”
What is the latest on Arteta’s contract at Arsenal?
Arteta is yet to sign a contract extension, with talks ongoing for several months, but the Spaniard is relaxed about the situation.
“I think we are all very much aligned; whenever the time is right, we’ll get that done. There is nothing to be concerned about,” he said.
When did Brighton last beat Arsenal?
The Seagulls last beat the Gunners on May 14, 2023, when they won 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in the league.
Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan scored the goals in the second half.
Prediction – Arsenal vs Brighton
Opta’s supercomputer has given Arsenal a 57 percent chance of winning, while Brighton have been offered a 29 percent chance.
Head-to-head – Arsenal vs Brighton
This will be the 36th meeting between the clubs, with Arsenal winning 20 of the encounters and Brighton emerging victorious on eight of the occasions.
Brighton team news
Brighton are expected to revert to the side that beat Coventry in their last Premier League outing.
Jaouen Hadjam sustained a knock in the 3-2 League Cup win against Manchester United on Wednesday.
Femi Azeez, Evan Ferguson, Zadok Yohanna, Mats Wieffer, Jack Hinshelwood (unspecified), Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh and Stefanos Tzimas all remain part of a lengthy injury list.
While Purdue is not projected to be a Big Ten juggernaut this season, UCLA coach Bob Chesney and his team expect to be challenged during their first game against Big Ten competition on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
The Boilermakers’ defensive line features five high-impact players that are at least 6-foot-3, and a nose tackle who weighs in at 301 pounds and anchors a defensive front that ranks second in the Big Ten with 17 tackles for loss.
“They’re talented in who they’re as individual players, there are some game-wreckers in there,” Chesney said. “They are as vertical as can be, they jump out of their stances, they’re jumping snap counts and they’re violent. They pose a giant problem, and we are not going to be able to push them around, and we are not going to be able to find ourselves in a spot where they tire. This is going to be a battle on the inside throughout the entire course of that game.”
While UCLA’s ground attack has dominated through the first two games of the season — rushing for 277 yards and six touchdowns against California and 214 yards and four scores against San Diego State — it might be harder for the Bruins’ running backs to have their way against the Purdue defense.
Purdue held both Indiana State‘s and Wake Forest’s starting running backs to less than four yards per carry, and has conceded just two rushing touchdowns to those starters this season.
“There’s some things that I think Purdue does a really good job defensively, in terms of getting off the ball,” said UCLA offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy. “They have got a lot of length. They’re a very, very big team, it will probably be one of the biggest teams we will face, so we have to be prepared for that.”
However, the Boilermakers have struggled to stop quarterbacks on the run — allowing Indiana State’s Elijah Owens and Wake Forest‘s Gio Lopez to combine for 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns — giving Bruins senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava the opportunity to rely on his legs.
While Iamaleava should have wide receivers Landon Ellis and Brian Rowe Jr. back to full strength, fortifying the aerial attack, the signal-caller will be without Mikey Matthews, after the slot receiver went down with a lower-body injury against San Diego State.
“There’s a fine line. Understanding what the coverage is doing, when is it time to take off and go,” Kennedy said. “If you are going through your read, from a clock standpoint, and it’s not there, it’s a great time to take off and go. It’s our job as an offense to create explosives, whether it’s him taking off or it’s him creating a scramble drill. We look at scramble drills, that we have to create explosives, and that’s something we have to do a better job of.”
Defensively, the “Bruin Bullies” will be tasked with stopping running back Fame Ijeboi, who has run for 201 yards and four touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry this season. Chesney said that Ijeboi has a “Wayne Knight” feeling to him, where he plays low to the ground, displays proficient body balance and leg drive, allowing him to be influential in the passing game and break tackles.
While UCLA has already faced formidable rushers in Cal’s Adam Mohammed and San Diego State’s Lucky Sutton, Ijeboi could be the most impactful yet. And no one knows that more than Bruin defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, who went to the same high school as the Boilermaker running back.
“It’s been fun to watch his growth, following him through high school, and watching him earn those scholarships and opportunities,” Hitschler said. “Those first two games, he jumped off the tape. He’s got great potential and he’s going to go a long way. We have to do a good job putting a physical shoulder on him and knocking him down because he’ll run through contact and does a great job of finding the edges.”
If Ijeboi is unable to get it going, it will have to be up to Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne to generate offense.
While the signal-caller struggled last season — throwing nine touchdowns with 10 interceptions — Browne has looked like a new player in 2026, passing for 646 yards and four touchdowns.
Browne has benefited from the addition of two premier slot receivers in Florida Atlantic transfer Asaad Waseem and Iowa State transfer Xavier Townsend. They have combined for 25 receptions, 277 yards and one score.
“What makes them unique is there are a lot of them,” Hitschler said. “When you have 10 personnel and that many receivers that can catch the ball, it can create mismatches, and we play a lot of man, so who’s going to fold first?” Hitschler said. “Are we going to be able to man them up or are we having to play more zone? Those are questions that will play out as the game dictates by who’s winning the one-on-one matchups. It’s the chess match that always happens in any game.”
The Bruins’ defense will look to force turnovers, but that is no easy feat as the Boilermakers have yet to turn the ball over this season.
Netherlands midfielder Kees Smit is watched by Liverpool, Tottenham lead the race for Brazil defender Arthur Dias and Monaco’s Folarin Balogun is expected to leave in January.
Monaco have confirmed plans to sell United States striker Folarin Balogun in January after the 25-year-old changed his mind over a move to Everton on deadline day. (Standard), external
Several European clubs are monitoring English 20-year-old defender Josh Acheampong’s situation at Chelsea.(AS), external
Monaco have admitted that a deal for 22-year-old midfielder Lamine Camara could be possible in January, with Liverpool and Chelsea interested in the Senegal international. (Standard), external
Real Madrid will go all out to sign Morocco’s new midfield gem Abdellah Ouazane, 17, who is at Ajax. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Newcastle United are set to revive their interest in Djurgarden midfielder Bo Hegland after the 22-year-old Norwegian opted against moving in the summer. (Football Insider), external
Tottenham are considering signing free agent Mauro Icardi after the Argentine left Galatasaray, but they will not be able to register the 33-year-old until January. (Express), external
Chelsea have joined a number of European clubs in the race to sign The Gambia youth international Adama Jeng, 15, from Norwegian side Tromso IL.(Football Insider), external
New York Mets first baseman Jared Young was carted off the field Thursday night after he took a knee to the head during a collision with pitcher Nolan McLean while both players were trying to make a play on a ground ball hit by Philadelphia’s Justin Crawford.
Young, who landed face-first in the dirt, reportedly was briefly knocked unconscious during the sixth-inning incident at Citi Field.
“It was scary to sit there and just know that he wasn’t with us in that moment,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said after the game. “He was just somewhere else.”
Young was able to give a thumbs-up to the crowd, however, as he was driven off. Mets interim manager Andy Green told reporters after the game that it “feels at this point in time like we’ve avoided the scariest outcomes.”
A CT scan at a hospital was negative, said Green, who added that Young had concussion symptoms but also had full use of his extremities.
Still, Green said after his team’s 3-0 loss, “it was a terrifying moment on a baseball field. Took him a while to come to. It was a really scary collision.”
McLean remained in the game and struck out Philadelphia’s Garrett Stubbs to end the inning. He was replaced by reliever Tobias Myers in the seventh.
Young, 31, has been a bright spot for the Mets (69-84) during his first full season, hitting .266 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games. A left knee injury caused him to miss six weeks early in the season.
“He’s somebody we all respect and appreciate and have love for,” Lindor said. “He’s been a big part of our team this whole year.”
Derbyshire Police said they were investigating an alleged assault but have now decided no further action will be taken.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
England fast bowler Brydon Carse will face no charges after an investigation into an alleged assault was closed by Derbyshire Police, the force has said.
But the 31-year-old remains subject to a separate probe by the Cricket Regulator, the disciplinary arm of the English game, who will assess if he has a case to answer under their regulations.
Carse was handcuffed by officers after a celebratory night out with Durham teammates on August 23 in Derby, central England, and it was later confirmed he had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, before being “de-arrested” after agreeing to depart.
Derbyshire Police said they were investigating an alleged assault in connection with the incident but have now decided no further action will be taken.
In a statement on Friday, the force said: “An investigation into reports of an assault in Derby city centre has been closed.
“Officers attended Molly Malones in the Wardwick, Derby, in the early hours of Sunday 23 August. A man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and was then de-arrested after his details were taken by officers.”
Subsequent enquiries were made pursuing the allegations of an assault but, after the alleged victim was identified and spoken to, no further action was taken, police said.
Videos of Carse’s arrest were released on social media, with Carse seen talking to Durham teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes – who also plays for northeast county Durham – was pictured in the background.
Carse, who has taken 58 wickets in 14 Tests at a shade more than 30 apiece, has continued playing for Durham since the episode took place, helping the side win the Second Division title in the first-class County Championship.
But he has been overlooked by England.
Carse was immediately removed from the squad before the second Test against Pakistan, then left out of the final match too, having not been selected on cricketing grounds for the opening encounter of a series where England whitewashed the tourists 3-0.
While officially available for selection for the ongoing white-ball series against Sri Lanka, he was again omitted.
England’s limited-overs head coach Brendon McCullum, speaking earlier this week, reminded his side of their off-field responsibilities, adding: “I’ve spoken to Carsey a lot and it’s the same message – you need to make good decisions off the field that allow you to be able to be the best version of yourself.
“As far as Carsey is concerned, it’s a good chance for him now to get his house in order and then push for selection for the next opportunity that arises.”
Carse’s arrest was the latest in a series of alcohol-fuelled controversies that have dogged England since their disastrous tour of New Zealand and Australia at the end of last year.
Test captain Joe Root, speaking before the Lord’s Test, said he was “hacked off” by the growing list of drink-related incidents involving England cricketers.
Turning to Carse, he said, “I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn in saying he’s very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I’m sure when he gets his chance, he will say that himself.”
“Pat knows the crack, he knows where I’ve been and this is nothing new. I’m blessed to be here but this is nothing new.”
Hedges has yet to lose in 12 professional fights and faces Brown – who has a won all six of his fights by knockout – for the vacant British and Commonwealth cruiserweight titles.
Saturday’s contest was initially due to take place at Planet Ice in Altrincham, but had to be upgraded to the much larger Co-op Live arena due to demand for tickets.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn told IFL TV earlier this week he expected a crowd of around 5,000 at the event.
Brown, who represented Team GB at the 2024 Olympics, has a growing fanbase in his home city and was greeted by chants of, ‘Oh, Patrick the Bomber’, in reference to his nickname.
He has looked relaxed during previous media activities during the week but was very intense when he spoke after both fighters tipped the scales at 14st 3lb (90kg).
“This is what I was born to do,” Brown said.
“Since I was seven years old and my dad took me into the gym – this is what I was born to do.”
Organisers have apologised for playing the North Korean national anthem for the South Korean men’s hockey team at the Asian Games in Japan.
South Korea, who thrashed Bangladesh 5-0, looked confused as the incorrect national anthem was played.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that Bangladesh’s national anthem followed before South Korea’s actual anthem was played.
A stadium announcer did apologise for the mistake.
“This is a really serious problem. When we protested, they said, ‘We’re sorry. It wasn’t that it wasn’t prepared; there was a mistake on the part of those responsible for playing it’,” South Korea coach Min Tae-seok said.
“But this is something that simply should never happen.”
North Korea’s national anthem, along with other symbols of the secretive state, are banned in South Korea.
The two countries are still technically at war, after the 1950-53 conflict between the two ended without a peace treaty.
The build-up to the Asian Games, which officially starts on Saturday, has already seen complaints from teams about the quality and amount of accommodation.
A member of the South Korea basketball team posted a video of a leaking pipe and soaked floor in his room, with the caption: “Please help me.”
Some teams were also stranded at the airport for up to six hours when they landed this week.
Field hockey at the Asian Games started on Friday and runs until 3 October.
Uefa and Concacaf have written to Gianni Infantino calling on Fifa to pay at least $10m (£7.5m) from its cash reserves to each of the 211 member associations.
It is the latest chapter in the war of words between the governing bodies, in response to Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s aborted private equity proposal.
Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to an investment company.
The idea was scrapped after four days following widespread opposition from national associations.
The letter, seen by BBC Sport, was signed by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and his Concacaf counterpart Victor Montagliani.
It outlines that “Fifa is on course to close 2023-26 with reserves of approximately $6bn (£4.5bn)” which is “considerably more than is required” through to the 2030 men’s World Cup.
It said that Fifa should “make at least $10m available to each of its 211 member associations over the 2027-30 cycle” which should be used “for investment in infrastructure and football development”.
This “one-off release of reserves” would come at a cost of $2.11bn (£1.57bn), and would be in addition to the regular funding in the cycle.
When the controversial plan was revealed in the days following the World Cup final, Infantino told members they would receive $40m (£30m) if they backed it.
Infantino set a deadline of 19 September for federations to accept his plans if they want to access an initial $20m (£15m).
In the letter, Ceferin and Montagliani said analysis carried out on Fifa’s published financial statements and budgets raised doubts that the FFE proposal was “necessary to deliver greater resources”.
It added that the analysis was “deliberately conservative” and a larger distribution from the reserves should be considered by the Fifa Council once the financial position at year-end is known.
An “independent review” of Fifa’s finances should be commissioned, it added, with “full access to the underlying figures and assumptions”.
“Fifa currently holds billions of dollars in accumulated reserves,” it read. “These resources belong to football and exist to serve the game and its 211 member associations.
“Prudence should not prevent a careful examination of whether a portion could responsibly be released to the extent those reserves exceed Fifa’s foreseeable needs.
“Releasing part of these reserves would demonstrate that member associations should not have to choose between development and good governance; between investment and integrity; or between financial support and the ability to consider proposals on their merits.
“Development is an institutional responsibility of Fifa – not a matter of individual discretion.”
Another letter, also seen by BBC Sport, has been sent to the presidents of the other confederations – Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania – asking them to support the motion.
Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, said that the Fifa Council should also receive a written explanation for the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.
Infantino was told he should make all documents available before the next Fifa Council meeting, which is on 15 October.
Michael Carrick says he expected tough season start as he rebuffs questions about his role as Manchester United manager.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick said he expected to have to ride out a storm at some point this season after a dreadful start to the current campaign.
Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis after his successful temporary spell at the end of last season secured third place in the Premier League and a return to the Champions League.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
But United have taken just four points from their opening four league games this season and were dumped out of the League Cup in a 3-2 defeat by Brighton in midweek after blowing a two-goal lead at Old Trafford for the first time in 50 years.
“In terms of the future and ownership and how long I’ve got, it’s totally nothing. Thinking about it is ridiculous in the position I’m in. It’s just not on the radar. We’ve got to perform and we’ve got a lot of games to plan for,” Carrick said ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham.
“History tells you that any team that’s successful goes through periods when you have to work through it, come through it and improve.
“We’ve had a small period, in recent time, when it hasn’t been exactly what we want it to be.
“I was expecting a point when we would go through it, it was going to come. We had such a good spell last season, going into this season.”
Former United and England midfielder Carrick also has reason to bemoan his side’s luck in recent weeks.
United received a swift apology from referees’ chiefs after Erling Haaland’s winning goal for Manchester City last weekend was wrongly awarded because the VAR officials did not spot an offside against Enzo Fernandez in the build-up.
Carrick’s men were also heading for three points at Everton last Sunday before until Toffees defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles produced a stunning strike into the top corner from long range.
“It is a week or two, the games haven’t gone our way,” added Carrick. “It’s tiny margins in some of those games. We will work through it. Winning games is always the answer, it can cover up a lot of things at times as well.
“Sometimes it’s the small disappointments that lead to something a bit bigger. It’s part of coping and being at this great football club.”
United could be boosted by the return of Luke Shaw from injury for the visit to Craven Cottage.
Carlos Baleba is also in contention to make his first appearance since a 70 million pound ($94m) move from Brighton.
Real Madrid stars including Kylian Mbappe rolled up T-shirts showing support for Ceuta, but President trip ‘unrelated’.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Real Madrid President Florentino Perez attended an event at Ceuta city hall on Friday in a visit to show solidarity with the Spanish territory, saying that it was not related to any recent developments.
On Tuesday, before Real’s La Liga match with Elche, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Ibrahima Konate obscured the message “We are all mackerels”, which appeared on T-shirts worn by the rest of the players. “Mackerels” is a nickname for people from Ceuta, and the shirts were designed to show support for them.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Mbappe said on Wednesday that he did not want to prioritise the suffering of one group over another. Real told the news agency Reuters that they respected their players’ freedom to make their own decisions, but noted that they had shown support for Ceuta a week earlier with a tifo during their Champions League match with Inter Milan.
Perez was accompanied by honorary Real Madrid President Jose Martinez Pirri, a native of Ceuta. They were welcomed by Regional President Juan Jesus Vivas.
“I want to emphasise, to avoid any doubts, that today’s event has been prepared over several weeks with the president of Ceuta, not due to any recent news,” Perez said at the city hall.
“And I also take this opportunity to convey all our support, all our affection, and our solidarity during these very difficult times to all Ceutans. It is our wish that normality resumes as soon as possible in Ceuta.”
In July, more than 70,000 irregular crossings into Ceuta from Morocco took place, causing disruption in the territory. Real Madrid’s show of solidarity is one of many gestures that have taken place across Spain since the mass crossings.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal says most racism he has suffered has come from people unaware of their own comments or behaviour.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal said he has experienced racism “a thousand times”, with many people unaware that their comments or behaviour are racist.
The 19-year-old has been the target of racial abuse during his rapid rise to prominence.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
In October 2024, footage appeared to show Lamine, Raphinha and Ansu Fati being racially abused during Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia said in a bulletin published in March that Lamine and Vinicius Jr were the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain in the final quarter of 2025.
Asked by former Argentina international Jorge Valdano in an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar whether he had directly experienced racism, Lamine said: “A thousand times.
“People are indirectly racist toward you, but maybe don’t realise it. There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist, and they don’t even notice.
“If someone calls me Black, it’s not going to bother me at all, ultimately I’m Black, I’m not any other colour. Another thing is whether it’s good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me.
“But if I’m playing a match and they paid for a ticket to see me, I’m not going to get angry just because they disrespected me.”
La Liga has stepped up efforts to combat racist abuse in stadiums following several high-profile incidents in Spanish football in recent years.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Thirteen division titles in 14 seasons, and in the year they didn’t win, they had 106 victories. We don’t have a lot to complain about.
Are you a true-blue fan?
Get our Dodgers Dugout newsletter for insights, news and much more.
By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads.
Division titles and Ryan Ward
—The Dodgers won the division title again, clinching it Thursday with their win over the Reds. Remember the olden days of yesteryear when winning the division was a huge deal? Now it is blasé. Dodgers fans live in a time where they have an embarrassment of riches,
Let’s look at how many NL West titles each team has won since divisional play began in 1969:
Dodgers, 24 San Francisco, 9 Cincinnati, 7 Arizona, 5 Atlanta, 5 San Diego, 5 Houston, 2
There was no official winner in 1994, which was ended by a labor dispute.
I guess I’m feeling extra nostalgic today, but I remember growing up the Dodgers’ biggest divisional rival was the Cincinnati Reds, who moved to the Central division in 1994 and have since won a grand total of zero division titles.
If we narrow NL West titles since 2000, we get:
Dodgers, 16 San Francisco, 5 Arizona, 4 San Diego, 2
Poor Colorado.
—The Dodgers made room for pitcher Kris Bubic on the 40-man roster by designating outfielder Ryan Ward for assignment. Ward has been a favorite of newsletter readers for a couple of seasons now, but he really had no place on the team anymore. He’s too old (28) to really be a prospect and his best triple-A season came in his third season at that level. His numbers declined in triple-A this season (you can see his numbers here).
He’s not great defensively, and the team already has corner outfielders who aren’t great defensively. They passed him over for Josue De Paula when they needed someone to fill in for Shohei Ohtani, and there are several outfielders in the system who are considered better than Ward.
In all likelihood, another team will pick him up and give him more playing time in the majors, something he wasn’t going to get with the Dodgers. Hopefully we see him next season in the “There names seem familiar” section of this newsletter.
Evidence of Dave Roberts’ growth
One of the knocks on Dave Roberts has always been his poor postseason managing. But his postseason managing has dramatically improved the last few seasons, and I’m not just saying that because they won the last two World Series. His decisions appear to not always be guided by analytics, like they are during the regular season. And it appears Roberts has indeed learned some things during his tenure. He recently appeared on the 6-1-1 podcast, hosted by former major leaguers Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins, and had this to say:
“When you’re talking about winning 11 games in October, I couldn’t believe more that it’s about people, and players you can bet on,” Roberts said. “The heartbeat that the analytics doesn’t line up with. I think that early on, my mistake was I continued to use that same method of the regular season in the postseason….
He also had high praise for two of his players.
“Mookie has said to me, ‘Doc, we wouldn’t have won the World Series if it wasn’t for Shohei and Yamamoto. And his point was, the discipline that they had every single day, how they worked with intention every single day … it raised the level even higher for our guys.”
Forgotten Dodger: Pete Reiser
Pete Reiser in 1941.
(Associated Press)
Pete Reiser never met an outfield fence he didn’t like crashing into and it may have cost him a Hall of Fame career.
Harold Patrick Reiser was born on March 17, 1919, in St. Louis. He loved westerns and as a child often walked around wearing a cowboy hat and carrying toy guns, so people started calling him Pistol Pete, which stuck with him throughout his baseball career.
After playing in 58 games with the Dodgers in 1940, Reiser came into his own in 1941 when he hit a league-leading .343 to go with 117 runs, 39 doubles, 17 triples, 14 homers and 76 RBIs. He also played great defense in center. That got him second place in NL MVP voting behind teammate Dolph Camilli (Reiser should have won). Reiser led the league in nine categories.
He followed that by hitting .310 with 33 doubles and 10 homers in 1942, leading the league with 20 steals and making his second straight All-Star team. However, on July 18 of that year, he crashed full speed into the center-field fence, which was made of concrete, while chasing a fly ball. He ended up with a separated shoulder and fractured skull. In those days though, you didn’t let little things like a fractured skull slow you down. He returned to the lineup a week later, but he wasn’t the same. He hit .244 the rest of the season.
He then enlisted in the Army and spent three years there. In 1944, after a long march in below-zero weather, Reiser was diagnosed with pneumonia. The Army decided to put him in Fort Riley, Kan., so he could play for the camp’s baseball team. With Reiser on the team, they were virtually unbeatable and Reiser was given his own room and excused from all other duties.
Reiser returned to the majors in 1946 and broke his leg while stealing second. He crashed into the fence in St. Louis and missed some time. But he still led the league with 34 steals, though his batting average dropped to .277.
In 1947, he was chasing another fly ball when he crashed into the wall face first. This caused another fractured skull. He was given the Last Rites by a priest in the hospital before making a miraculous recovery. He ended up playing 110 games that season.
He was a bench player the following season, as he had put on a little weight and had been slowed tremendously by his numerous injuries. The Dodgers traded him to the Boston Braves after the season for Nanny Fernandez and Mike McCormick.
By unofficial count, Reiser’s injuries over the years included four fracture skulls, multiple dislocated shoulders, two broken ankles, torn ligaments in both knees and and two beanings. He was carried off the field on a stretcher eleven times—five times when he was unconscious.
He retired after the 1952 season and came back to the Dodger organization as a roving minor-league hitting instructor. He joined Walter Alston’s coaching staff in L.A. in 1960 and helped tutor Maury Wills on how to steal bases. In an interview with this newsletter a few years ago, Wills made sure to give praise to Reiser as being a big part of his 104-steal season.
Reiser had a heart attack in 1965, went on to coach for other teams. He smoked a pack of cigarettes a day throughout his adult life and died of emphysema in Palm Springs in 1981. He was only 62.
The postseason race
Here are the postseason seedings as of Thursday’s games. The three division winners get the top three seeds, followed by the three teams with the best records. The top two division winners get a first-round bye. Milwaukee and the Dodgers have clinched division titles.
Remember, there are no extra games to break ties anymore. It all comes down to tiebreakers. Atlanta and Milwaukee have the tiebreaker over the Dodgers. For the wild card, the Cubs have the advantage over the Phillies, having won six of seven games against each other. The Diamondbacks and Padres have split 10 games, but their final three games this season are against each other, so that very well could determine the final wild-card spot.
These names seem familiar
How notable players who were with the Dodgers the last couple of seasons are doing with their new teams (through Wednesday). Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page:
Anthony Banda, Twins: 2-0, 4.46 ERA, 2 saves, 34.1 IP, 31 hits, 15 walks, 33 K’s, 95 ERA+, out for the season
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo named in Portugal squad to face Norway and Denmark.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in new Portugal manager Jorge Jesus’s first 25-man squad for the defending champions’ upcoming four Nations League matches.
In August, Ronaldo fuelled speculation about his retirement plans after saying the coming year would probably be the last of his playing career.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The 41-year-old Portugal captain is one of the most decorated players in football history, having won major trophies with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and current club Al Nassr since making his senior debut for Sporting in 2002.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, was unable to add a World Cup title to his list of honours after Portugal were knocked out in the last 16 by eventual champions Spain, leaving the sport’s biggest prize absent from his trophy cabinet.
Ronaldo confirmed in July that the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup would be his last in that competition, but he was unwilling to make a hasty call on his international future.
“His performance is what matters. The past doesn’t count,” Jesus told a news conference on Friday.
“In this squad, there are 13 players who have worked with me. I don’t have a set core, so within this group, there were several players who were important for this squad.
“Cris is a player like any other. If he performs, he plays; if not, he doesn’t. He has a different status – he has five Ballon d’Or awards – but does that factor into my decisions? No. However, the fact that he is different is.”
Jesus will make his debut as Portugal manager against Wales at home on September 24. Portugal then travel to face Norway and Denmark on September 27 and October 1 respectively, before hosting Norway on October 4.
Portugal appointed the 72-year-old former Al Nassr boss in July, days after Spaniard Roberto Martinez stepped down following the country’s World Cup exit.
Portugal’s Nations League squad
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Rui Silva (Sporting), Samuel Soares (Benfica)
Defenders: Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Tavares (Lazio), Nuno Mendes (Paris St Germain), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Tomas Araujo (Benfica)
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Palhinha (Benfica), Joao Neves (Paris St Germain), Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal), Vitinha (Paris St Germain), Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Fabio Silva (Borussia Dortmund), Francisco Trincao (Al-Ahli), Francisco Conceicao (Juventus), Goncalo Ramos (AC Milan), Joao Felix (Al-Nassr), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Rafael Leao (Galatasaray)
Iraola’s preference is to name the team on the morning of the game and he saves the post-match debrief with his players for the day after the match.
There is a sense of pragmatism with his media interactions, too, after a situation where his comments to LFC TV following a pre-season friendly against Monaco were widely reported.
Iraola conceded Liverpool had run out of steam after 30 minutes and did not have the energy levels at the time to play with the intensity that he wants. It wasn’t meant to be a dig at his players – rather an admittance that they were working on building that intensity up.
But there is a realisation that at a club like Liverpool, every word you say can end up shared across social media and taken in a different way than you meant. That said, Iraola comes across as calm in his news conferences and open to discussion.
It is very much a case of Iraola adapting to the club as much as the other way round.
One of the main reasons they went for Iraola was his ability to develop young talent and the average age of Liverpool‘s players in the Premier League this season is 25.3 – only five teams have a lower average.
Youngsters like Rio Ngumoha, 18, Trey Nyoni, 19, and Koumas, 20, all started against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and all three will play bigger roles this season than last.
Intensity is a buzzword under Iraola and that is a non-negotiable but he is already aware that, with such a brutal schedule, Liverpool will need to find ways to adapt and occasionally win games with a set-piece or an individual moment of brilliance.
Going into this weekend, they have made the most sprints in the Premier League but looked flat against Fulham last weekend in a goalless draw, less than 72 hours after beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Sunday’s game against Bournemouth will be a fourth in 12 days and, after the international break, Liverpool have a spell of four games in 10 days. Between 11 October and 7 November, they will play nine times.
Iraola would no doubt have had a smile seeing Bournemouth win on their Europa League bow against Real Sociedad on Thursday, in the Basque region where he grew up.
Perhaps he will have a moment on the flight down from Liverpool on Saturday to think about how far he has come.
Liverpool haven’t exactly had a dream start under Iraola but they are yet to lose. Becoming a team that is hard to beat is undoubtedly a step in the right direction after 12 league losses last term, but as vice-captain Alisson said last week, draws aren’t good enough for Liverpool.
And Iraola, who is unbeaten in the Premier League since January across his two clubs, knows that a win on familiar territory on Sunday would be the perfect way to head into the international break.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, one of German football’s vice presidents, adds to list calling for Gianni Infantino’s resignation.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Gianni Infantino must leave the FIFA presidency “no ifs or buts”, according to Hans-Joachim Watzke, one of the vice presidents of the German Football Association (DFB), as he spoke at a festival dedicated to artificial intelligence in Berlin.
The DFB was one of the few federations not to sign a letter of support for Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president in six months’ time.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
“He has to go, no ifs or buts,” declared Watzke, who said late on Thursday that three points in particular counted against the Swiss.
The first was the FIFA Peace Prize, launched by Infantino and awarded in December 2025 to US President Donald Trump, to whom Infantino is close, during the draw for the 2026 World Cup.
Infantino “created this prize himself, and he decided on it himself,” said Watzke.
“You can’t just invent something on your own and then announce it, it’s madness,” said Watzke.
Watzke also condemned the controversial handling of the Folarin Balogun red card during this year’s World Cup, which was hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The American forward was sent off in the last 32 but his automatic one-match suspension was lifted after a phone call from Trump to Infantino.
“It can’t be that when someone gets sent off, the head of state calls the FIFA president, and, remarkably, the whole thing is immediately overturned. That’s madness,” said Watzke.
The third issue was the project, unveiled on July 28 and dropped four days later, to create a commercial company that would have been open to private investors and became a focal point of the rebellion against Infantino.
“It’s completely insane,” said Watzke. “Nobody knew about it, his vice presidents in FIFA knew nothing, the Council knew nothing.”
DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said earlier in the week in an interview with RTL/ntv television that it was also time for Infantino to depart.
“The relationship of trust with Gianni Infantino, under this FIFA leadership, has of course been completely shattered,” he said.
“It’s important that this Infantino system comes to an end.”
For now, Infantino is the only candidate for the FIFA presidency in the election scheduled for March 18, 2027, with candidacies open until November 18.
