Tournament

The next generation of football stars will showcase their talent on the biggest stage when the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 kicks off in Qatar on Monday.

With an expanded field of 48 teams, the tournament is set to deliver a spectacle unlike any before.

Here’s everything you need to know about the showpiece event:

What are the key dates?

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 3, with two matches – South Africa vs Bolivia and Costa Rica vs the United Arab Emirates – kicking off the tournament.

The final will be played on November 27, marking the conclusion of the 104-match tournament.

• Group stage: November 3 to 11
• Round of 32: November 14 and 15
• Round of 16: November 18
• Quarterfinals: November 21
• Semifinals: November 24
• Third-place playoff: November 27
• Final: November 27

Where is the tournament being held?

Qatar will host five consecutive U-17 World Cups, starting this year.

At the 2025 edition, all matches up until the final will take place across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan, about 9km (5.6 miles) from the centre of the capital, Doha.

The final will be played at Khalifa International Stadium, the 45,857-capacity venue that hosted six matches during the men’s FIFA 2022 World Cup. Built in 1976, it is one of Qatar’s oldest stadiums.

This year’s tournament marks the third time the U-17 World Cup has been held in the Arab world, after Egypt hosted in 1997 and the United Arab Emirates in 2013.

How many teams are taking part?

The 2025 U-17 World Cup is the first to be played in the 48-team format instead of the previous biennial 24-team tournaments.

The participating nations, from six confederations, have been divided into 12 groups, as follows:

⚽ Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
⚽ Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
⚽ Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
⚽ Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
⚽ Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
⚽ Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland
⚽ Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
⚽ Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
⚽ Group I: US, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia
⚽ Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland
⚽ Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
⚽ Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia

What is the tournament format?

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will qualify for the round of 32.

From there on, the tournament will be played in a knockout format, featuring the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.

Why is the U-17 World Cup important?

Youth World Cups are exciting to watch as they offer a glimpse into football’s future, showcasing young talents before they make their mark on the biggest professional stages.

The U-17 World Cup holds special significance as it often serves as a launchpad for the stars of tomorrow.

Retired and current players like Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, and Phil Foden — who went on to shine in the world’s top football leagues — first caught global attention at the U-17 World Cup, each winning the tournament’s Golden Ball award for the best player.

Who are the favourites to win?

Brazil, aiming for a record-equalling fifth U-17 World Cup, will be the frontrunners in Qatar. Heading into the tournament as the reigning South American champions, Brazil are arguably the best team from the region, having held that crown for a record 14 times.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for this World Cup means the Brazilians are the most successful team at the 2025 edition.

Other contenders for the title are Portugal, who sealed their third U-17 Euro title in June, and France, who often enjoy a deep run at major tournaments.

Although Germany are the defending World Cup winners from 2023, expectations are low this year after they failed to get past the group stage at the Euros.

Twice World Cup winners Mexico are also the title favourites as they make their eighth successive appearance at the finals, while Asian champions Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia could be the dark horses.

Who are the top players to watch?

Italy’s attacking midfielder Samuele Inacio, the top scorer at the Euros finals with five goals, is one to watch at the tournament. Inacio, who plays for the Borussia Dortmund youth academy, is a constant goal threat thanks to his sublime creativity in the forward line.

France forward Djylian N’Guessan, who scored nine times during the Euro qualifying and finals, is another key player from the region, known for his link-up play, calm finishing and excellent technique. N’Guessan, 17, also played for his nation in the recent U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Although Argentina failed to reach the semifinals at the South American U-17 Championship, striker Thomas de Martis finished as the top scorer with six goals. Clinical in the box and great at finishing, de Martis also possesses excellent aerial ability.

Sadriddin Khasanov, named the most valuable player (MVP) in Uzbekistan’s U-17 Asian Cup triumph for his goal-scoring abilities and impressive skills, is also on the list of must-watch players, alongside Morocco’s midfield maestro Abdellah Ouazane, the player of the tournament during their maiden U-17 Africa Cup of Nations title run.

Where to buy tickets and watch the tournament?

Tickets for the U-17 World Cup are on general sale and can be purchased on FIFA’s official platform. Five types of tickets are available, including a day pass, a dedicated ticket for all of host nation Qatar’s matches, and a standalone final ticket.

A day pass, which provides access to six selected pitches, costs approximately $5.50, while the tickets for the final start at about $4.

Broadcasters for selected territories – including Brazil, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States – have been announced.

Five nations will make history in Qatar by making their debut at the FIFA U-17 World Cup this year 🙌

🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇫🇯 Fiji
🇮🇪 Republic of Ireland
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇿🇲 Zambia pic.twitter.com/oiOyOwyiLj

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) April 19, 2025

FIFA confirms change of name to Afghan Women United, dropping ‘refugee’ from the team name ahead of the tournament.

A FIFA-organised tournament involving the Afghanistan women’s refugee team has been moved from the United Arab Emirates to Morocco, the world football governing body said, with the four-team friendly competition set to begin on Sunday.

The “FIFA Unites: Women’s Series” tournament, originally scheduled to run from October 23-29 in Dubai, also features the national women’s teams of the UAE, Chad and Libya.

The Afghanistan women’s refugee team’s creation stems from the Taliban’s ban on women’s sports following their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, prompting players to flee the country, fearing persecution.

“FIFA would like to thank the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) and looks forward to working together to host a successful tournament,” FIFA said in a statement.

The governing body also confirmed that the Afghanistan women’s refugee team has chosen a new official name, “Afghan Women United,” following consultation with FIFA.

Prior to the Taliban’s takeover, Afghanistan had 25 women players under contract, most of whom now live in Australia. Afghanistan’s men’s team continues as normal.

Though rich with detail, the aim of the game is enticingly simple – make your opponent touch the ground with any part of his body which isn’t the sole of his foot, or push him out of the ring, or dohyo, altogether.

Rikishi train intensely from a young age in order to master the precise rituals and 82 different winning techniques, or kimarite, but it was through their adventures outside of the dohyo that they stole the hearts of old and new British fans.

Because the 40 rikishi who travelled to compete in London crammed plenty of quintessentially British traditions into their visit.

Accustomed to taking on board up to 10,000 calories per day in pursuit of their ultimate competition weight, in London they swapped their usual high-protein chankonabe stew for fish and chips and pints of Guinness in between tours of Harrods and photo opportunities outside the Houses of Parliament.

Wrestlers were seen visiting Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross, made famous by the Harry Potter series, and some even made it as far as Stonehenge in Wiltshire.

Most-loved, though, were the photos snapped of the huge frames of the rikishi getting around the capital in black cabs, red buses – and even by bike., external

United Arab Emirates denied Japan and took the final place at next year’s men’s T20 World Cup with an eight-wicket victory in the qualifier in Oman.

Japan could have reached their first major tournament with a victory but UAE held them to 116-9 and then chased their target in 12.1 overs.

It means UAE join Oman and Nepal in progressing from the Asia and East Asia-Pacific qualifier to the World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka in February and March next year.

In addition to the two hosts getting automatic spots, England, Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, United States and West Indies qualified courtesy of reaching the Super 8 stage of the 2024 edition held in the United States and West Indies.

Ireland, Pakistan and New Zealand qualified via the rankings while Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia and Zimbabwe came through their regional qualifying tournaments.

The tournament schedule is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Japan beat Kuwait and Samoa earlier in their qualifying tournament which meant they would have progressed had they beaten UAE and overturned a net run-rate deficit.

They slumped to 58-8, however, with spinner Haider Ali taking 3-20, and only limped to their total thanks to 45 not out from Wataru Miyauchi.

Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem put on 70 for the first wicket of the chase and, despite the pair falling for 46 and 42 respectively, UAE, who played at the 2014 and 2022 T20 World Cups, eased to victory.

Ghana are the 21st team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup – and at least six more of the 48 places will be decided this week.

Asia and Africa are where all of the latest guaranteed spots will come from, with two from Asia and four more from Africa up for grabs.

Ghana booked their spot thanks to a 1-0 win over Comoros with Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus claiming the only goal.

Mohamed Salah scored twice on Wednesday as Egypt beat Djibouti 3-0 to seal their place at a fourth World Cup.

Algeria joined them on Thursday with Riyad Mahrez scoring in a 3-0 Group G win over bottom side Somalia.

While no countries in North and Central America or Europe are guaranteed to qualify this month, it is mathematically possible for some countries to do so.

Four European nations could book their place this week – England, Portugal, Switzerland and France.

Thomas Tuchel’s men will qualify with victory over Latvia on Tuesday, while the other three must rely on other results too.

Croatia are all but there, sitting three points above the Czech Republic with a far superior goal difference.

Joint-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States were all granted automatic qualification for the World Cup.

Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan have already qualified from Asia.

Oceania’s one direct qualification spot has been taken by New Zealand.

Tunisia and Morocco were the first two African sides to go through, before three more joined them this week.

Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia are the South American nations currently guaranteed a place.

Uzbekistan and Jordan will also be playing at a World Cup finals for the first time.

While they have not qualified for the tournament in full, Bolivia and New Caledonia are two of the six nations confirmed to take part in the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026.

Teams through to 2026 World Cup

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States.

Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan.

Oceania: New Zealand.

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.

Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia.

The competition will be held at the Global Theater, Riyadh, which staged the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in December.

That event offers a $1m (£745,000) bonus if a player pots a golden ball after a maximum 147 break, for a 167 clearance.

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, has said he wanted to get involved in darts and introduce a “crazy concept” to the sport.

The World Series of Darts will begin with the Bahrain Darts Masters from 15-19 January.

Saudi Arabia will follow before events in Denmark, the US, New Zealand, Australia and the Finals in the Netherlands.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of ‘sportswashing’ in recent years – using its unprecedented spending on sport to improve the oil-producing kingdom’s reputation over its human rights record and environmental impact.

It has staged many major sports events, including Formula 1 and golf, and will host the men’s football World Cup in 2034.

In February Saudi’s UK ambassador Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud said alcohol would not be sold anywhere during the World Cup, including hotels.

The darts tournament will be part of Riyadh Season events in partnership with Matchroom Sport – run by Hearn’s son Eddie – which features boxing and snooker.

Other events not part of the Matchroom partnership include the ‘Six Kings’ tennis exhibition and WWE’s Royal Rumble.

South Africa were voted the men’s team of the year at the World Rugby awards last year.

Having picked up back-to-back Rugby Championships, the world’s number one-ranked team could be picking up the prize again.

But what makes the achievement more remarkable is the amount of players head coach Rassie Erasmus has used.

“I think we used close to 47 players and I’d love to have given more chances,” he said.

Defeats by Australia and New Zealand over the first three games put pressure on Erasmus – but subsequent results made clear the “risk” to develop talent was worth it.

Three wins from three games followed to secure the title, with 23-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starting all of them.

A Springbok record 37 points against Argentina in Durban was the highlight as Feinberg-Mngomezulu developed as a potential frontrunner to start at fly-half in November.

Ethan Hooker, 22, began the final three games on the left wing and produced a standout performance against New Zealand, while Canan Moodie, also 23, started at outside centre in the final three games.

With the title on the line, Erasmus trusted his young stars and they delivered.

Selection will now heat up for the autumn as the Springboks’ World Cup winners will hope to return to the side, especially for games against France and Ireland.

Erasmus once said he would “rather win the World Cup than sit at an 85% win rate”.

Well, he has now built a squad that looks like it can do both.

“I think one of our goals is to stay in the present, do well, and not just focus on the World Cup,” he added.

“But I think definitely trying to build squad depth played a role in the lack of continuity.”

Its campus and enrollment are tiny, but Marymount High is a giant in the world of high school volleyball and this year’s squad looks to have the talent to compete for a championship.

The Sailors took first place out of 64 teams at the prestigious Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, taking down rival Sierra Canyon, 21-25, 25-15, 25-12, in the final on Sept. 20. Senior hitter and Washington commit Sammy Destler was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Marymount did not drop a set en route to the Hawaiian Island Labor Day Classic title in Hilo in late August. Last weekend in Phoenix, the Sailors advanced to the championship match of the Platinum Division at the Nike Tournament of Champions Southwest, falling to reigning Southern Section Division 1 champion Mater Dei. The two programs could meet again in the CIF playoffs in November.

For those keeping score, that makes three finals and two titles at three tournaments in three different states over four weeks against the best competition in the nation — just the way head coach Cari Klein likes it.

Marymount High volleyball players, from left to right, Makenna Barnes, Sammy Destler and Elle Vandeweghe clap hands during a match.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“Winning Durango was huge … and very fun,” said Klein, who reached the 700-win plateau early this season, her 28th at the all-girls Catholic school with 350 students across the street from UCLA. “These last two years we’ve gotten better the second day. Then playing TOC right after is a tough turnaround. It’s a lot of travel and a lot of volleyball.”

Three Sailors joined Destler on the all-tournament team in Durango: senior setter Olivia Penske (committed to Georgetown), junior hitter Makenna Barnes (an early Northwestern commit who has pounded a team-best 217 kills) and junior middle/opposite hitter and Stanford beach commit Katelyn Oerlemans, who leads the team with 63 blocks.

The roster also features senior middle blocker and Southern Methodist commit Elle Vandeweghe, senior middle blocker Frankie Jones (Brown), senior outside hitter Presley Jones (Amherst), senior libero Declan Eastman (Rice) and senior opposite hitter Grace Jamison (Lafayette).

Marymount lost to Mater Dei in one of the best finals in tournament history (28-26 in the third set) at Durango one year ago.

Girls’ volleyball coach Cari Klein has racked up more than 700 wins during her 28 seasons at Marymount High.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“People don’t realize how few students we have or how academically-oriented it is,” Klein said. “Our girls have their books out in between every game. They’re studying on buses, on trains, in hallways … any chance they get to do schoolwork.”

Having played the sport herself (she was a state MVP at Irvine High in 1988 then an All-West Coast Conference hitter at Pepperdine), Klein demands a lot of her players, but she also tries to make the daily routine fun, worth getting up at the crack of dawn. Her motto is a hard practice makes an easy game.

Destler, who started playing for Klein’s Sunshine Volleyball Club when she was 8, takes that message to heart. After Marymount was dealt its first loss at Redondo Union on Sept 2, she stated: “We have practice at 5:45 a.m. tomorrow and I have to like it.”

The Sailors (29-3) are off to their best start since the 2021 team that finished 35-0, winning 92 of 100 sets in the process, and earned Klein PrepVolleyball.com national high school coach of the year honors.

Of the 20 players on varsity, eight are seniors and nine are juniors.

“This team is similar to the 2021 team,” Klein said. “What’s different is that those seniors four years ago were so hungry because they lost their junior year to COVID-19.”

Marymount’s longest drought between section finals appearances in Klein’s tenure is five seasons (2013 to 2017), so the team is about due. She also wants to add another player of the year to those she has already mentored — Haley Jorgensborg (2001); Stesha Selsky (2002 and 2003); Kelly Irvin (2005); Lauren Greskovics-Fuller (2011); and Elia Rubin (2021).

“There are nine or 10 teams in our section that could really give us a match,” said Klein, who has steered the Sailors to 10 Southern Section titles (including a record six in a row from 2001 to 2006), eight regional crowns and seven state championships since taking over the program in 1998. “Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Sierra Canyon, Newport Harbor, Santa Margarita, Redondo, Mira Costa, Harvard-Westlake, Mater Dei — all very hard to beat. And if you get to the next level, there are four San Diego schools that are really strong too. CIF is stacked.”

In addition to the postseason success, Marymount has won 24 league titles under Klein. To add to that total, it must beat Sierra Canyon, which defeated the Sailors three times last season. The first of the schools’ two Mission League meetings is Monday night in Chatsworth.

In one regard, a section title in 2025 would be sweeter than the others for Klein because she lost her home in the Palisades fire in January, as did some of her players. She has been living in Playa del Rey with her husband, former Palisades High quarterback Perry Klein.

“We’ve all had to deal with it already, but a lot of girls in the program have been affected and the younger club players as well,” she said. “It’s a pretty emotional year for Marymount.”

Danny Noppert beats William O’Connor 6-5

Maybe the national team turned a corner in last week’s 2-0 win over Japan.

Maybe the change to a 3-4-2-1 formation unlocked the lively and innovative play that had been missing in the team’s first year under coach Mauricio Pochettino. Maybe Pochettino and his players have finally found the chemistry and coordination that was so obviously missing.

And maybe, just maybe, the U.S. really can make a deep run in next summer’s World Cup, the first to be played in the U.S. in 32 years.

Maybe.

Or maybe not.

One game can’t totally erase the dysfunctional and dispassionate performances that have marked much of the brief Pochettino era, one which included four consecutive losses at home and two losses in as many games with Mexico.

Nor can it make up for a player pool that has seemingly grown thin and ever-changing or speed the learning curve for a successful club coach who has struggled with the transition to the international game.

But it can buy the team and its coach some time.

“Touch the right buttons and we start to perform,” Pochettino said last September, shortly after he took the U.S. job. Just now, however, is he finding those buttons.

The win over Japan clearly lifts a huge weight off Pochettino and his players, but the reprieve may be temporary. If the U.S. regresses in friendlies with Ecuador and Australia next month, the angst and despair that have hovered over the team most of the year will return.

What it all means is Pochettino and the USMNT have reached a fork in the road. And the path they take will likely shape U.S. Soccer’s future for years, if not decades.

A World Cup the federation has been pointing to for years is just nine months away and much is riding on the U.S. team’s performance. A deep run in the tournament will engage and ignite the country, open the wallets of deep-pocketed sponsors and do more for the sport in the U.S. than any event since the last World Cup held here. That one led to the formation of MLS, which has grown into the largest first-tier professional league in the world, and the establishment of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, which has invested more than $100 million at the grassroots level, impacting nearly 100 million kids.

The coherent performance against Japan — albeit a young, inexperience Japanese “B” team — brought hope that a successful path, the longest one at the fork in the road, is still open.

But three days before beating Japan, the U.S. was thoroughly outplayed by South Korea in a 2-0 loss — the team’s sixth loss in 14 games this year — that raised alarm. According to The Athletic, the performance dropped the U.S. to 48th in the world in the Elo Ratings, a results-based formula for measuring all men’s national teams. It was the lowest ranking in 28 years for the Americans.

If the USMNT follows the South Korea path in the World Cup, its tournament run could be short, ending in the first two rounds and likely stunting both interest and investment in soccer in the U.S.

With just three international breaks remaining before the World Cup, there is reason for both hope and concern.

Pochettino’s lineup choices remain as unsettled as his tactical approach — although the Japan game may help settle that. As Stuart Holden, World Cup midfielder turned Fox Sports analyst, noted, the change to a three-man backline solved many problems.

Against Japan, Holden said, the center backs played with noticeable confidence and aggression. The formation also freed wingbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman to be more creative and allowed attackers Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, the team’s game-changers, to be more impactful.

There was much to like in the new approach and for the first time in his tenure, it seemed as if Pochettino had finally found a game plan that suited his players, with Balogun among those who benefited most: his goal, off an assist from Pulisic, was his first for the U.S. in nearly 14 months while his start was his first under Pochettino.

The other goal went to Alex Zendejas, who was called up for the first time this year despite having one of the best two-year runs of any USMNT attacker, scoring 16 goals and contributing 15 assists to help Mexico’s Club América to three straight Liga MX titles.

Another player who stepped up when given the opportunity was Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan, who played an inspired 90 minutes, leading all players with 83 touches.

Pochettino welcomed the result but continued to argue it wasn’t the most important thing.

“It’s the process,” he told reporters.

“When you are strong in your ideas and your belief, it’s about never giv[ing] up.”

So which team is the real national team? The one that beat Japan or the one that was humiliated by South Korea? And what will the USMNT’s destiny be in the World Cup? A long, profitable run that changes the trajectory of soccer in the U.S. or a short, disappointing one that sets the sport’s progress back years?

The October games with Ecuador and Australia could go a long way toward determining that. There’s a lot riding on the answer.

World Cup ticket update

More than 1.5 million people registered for the chance to buy World Cup tickets in the first 24 hours of the tournament’s initial presale lottery, according to FIFA. Online applications came from 210 countries, FIFA said, with the three host countries — the U.S., Mexico and Canada — leading the way.

The presale draw, which began last Wednesday and will end Friday at 8 a.m. Pacific time, is the first phase of ticket sales for the tournament. After a random selection process, successful applicants will be notified via email starting from Sept. 29 and will be given a date and time slot to purchase tickets, starting at $60, beginning Oct. 1. When fans enter the window won’t affect their chances of winning.

Subsequent ticket sales phases will begin in October. Further details on the timeline and products are available at FIFA.com/tickets.

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

THE World Grand Prix will miss a huge player this year after a former world champion has failed to make the tournament for the first time.

Michael Smith, 34, has been ever-present in the tournament since his first appearance in 2012, but will fall short of qualification for this year’s event.

2

Smith’s position at 21st in the PDC Order of Merit and 34th on the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit means that he has been unable to qualify for the Leicester tournament.

It comes after a year of injury and struggle at the oche, which has seen Bully Boy fail to win an event on the PDC circuit.

In fact, Smith has only got past the quarter-finals on two occasions in 2025 – doing so at the Players Championship 10 and 14.

His last tournament win came back in May 2024, beating Ryan Joyce 8-6 to win last year’s Players Championship 9.

It’s a stark contrast to the year he had in 2023, a campaign in which he was crowned world champion.

Smith has been battling with arthritis in his right wrist, an issue that was caused by breaking both his wrists when he was 19.

While he also has a grade two acromioclavicular joint injury in his shoulder, leading to a host of missed tournaments that have hampered his ability to rack up enough prize money to reach the top 16 in the world rankings.

Smith isn’t the only big name star that will miss out on the World Grand Prix either.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Fellow ever-present Dimitri Van den Bergh will also be absent from the tournament.

The Belgian thrower, 31, has made the decision to focus on his life away from the oche after opening up about experiencing burnout from the intense darts schedule.

As well as taking more time to spend with family after welcoming his second daughter in July, that decision has meant Van den Bergh has missed a slew of tournaments and is all the way back at 98th on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

He misses out on the competition for the first time since 2019.

2

Britain’s Alfie Davis stunned defending champion Gadzhi Rabadanov to win the PFL lightweight tournament by unanimous decision in Charlotte, North Carolina.

London’s Davis landed the more damaging strikes to edge a close contest with all three judges scoring it 48-47 in the 33-year-old’s favour.

Davis was overcome with emotion as the result was read out as he won $500,000 (£369,000) – a prize he described as “life-changing”.

He becomes the third Briton to win an annual PFL tournament after featherweight Brendan Loughnane in 2022 and women’s flyweight Dakota Ditcheva last year.

“I don’t know what to say, I’ve worked so hard for this,” said Davis.

“To be a champion like Gadzhi, I respect him and have watched him for so many years – he and his team are amazing. To beat someone like that is a dream come true.”

Davis reached the final after enjoying the best spell of his 11-year career with wins over Clay Collard and Brent Primus.

In Russia’s 32-year-old Rabadanov, however, he was facing last year’s champion and a fighter on a 12-fight win streak.

Davis said he had suffered from a lack of confidence in the past, but has put that behind him with a string of impressive displays.

His new-found confidence was on full display as he danced his way to the cage, before being introduced as someone whose “charisma can be seen from space”.

SHAUN MURPHY has given his verdict on where the glamorous Saudi Arabia Masters ranks among snooker’s top tournaments.

He claims that the tournament is still far behind the game’s triple crown events, the traditional peak of the Snooker calendar.

2

2

The Saudi event offers some of the sport’s biggest prize pots, with the top players in the world competing for a total prize pool of over £2.3million.

Despite the money being comparable to the prizes on offer in the Snooker World Championships, Murphy feels that the event cannot hold a candle to its more prestigious counterparts.

He told Metro: “I’ve still got one foot in the history camp.

“I still think the history and the legacy of the existing three majors, the Triple Crown events, I think they’re stand alone events.

“This event obviously rivals the World Championship in terms of prize money and it’s a 10-year deal, so it’s got the potential to become in great standing.

“But at the moment, for me, the other three would still be ahead of this one, despite the prize money.”

The winner of the Saudi event will pocket a hefty £500,000 prize, the same on offer at the World Championships.

There is even a £50,000 bounty for any player who manages a 147 break at the tournament, meaning the potential prizes are also very attractive to lower ranked players hoping to pull off a miracle.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

But the 43-year-old says that money can only bring the tournament so far when trying to compete with the game’s most established events.

“You can’t buy legacy. The prize money here is massive and we’re all enjoying competing and somebody is going to walk away with £500,000 this week, it’s an amazing opportunity and we’re all very grateful for it.

“But the legacy and how special the Triple Crown events are, you can’t buy that.

“For me, those events are head and shoulders above everything else.”

There are few more qualified to speak on the prestige that comes with the triple crown events, with ‘The Magician’ having won all three, including a World Championship title in 2005.

List of all-time Snooker World Champions

BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.

The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.

The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.

Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.

Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.

• 1969 – John Spencer
• 1970 – Ray Reardon
• 1971 – John Spencer
• 1972 – Alex Higgins
• 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
• 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
• 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
• 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
• 1977 – John Spencer (2)
• 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
• 1979 – Terry Griffiths
• 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
• 1981 – Steve Davis
• 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
• 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
• 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
• 1985 – Dennis Taylor
• 1986 – Joe Johnson
• 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
• 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
• 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
• 1990 – Stephen Hendry
• 1991 – John Parrott
• 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
• 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
• 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
• 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
• 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
• 1997 – Ken Doherty
• 1998 – John Higgins
• 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
• 2000 – Mark Williams
• 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2002 – Peter Ebdon
• 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
• 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
• 2005 – Shaun Murphy
• 2006 – Graeme Dott
• 2007 – John Higgins (2)
• 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
• 2009 – John Higgins (3)
• 2010 – Neil Robertson
• 2011 – John Higgins (4)
• 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
• 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
• 2014 – Mark Selby
• 2015 – Stuart Bingham
• 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
• 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
• 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
• 2019 – Judd Trump
• 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
• 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
• 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
• 2023 – Luca Brecel
• 2024 – Kyren Wilson
• 2025 – Zhao Xintong

Most World Titles (modern era)

• 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
• 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
• 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
• 2 – Alex Higgins

But Murphy won’t be bagging another big win in Saudi Arabia, following his 6-1 loss to world number three Mark Williams earlier today.

Ronnie O’Sullivan plays today for a spot in the quarter-finals, while world number one and defending champion Judd Trump was stunned on Tuesday in his round of 32 bout with 68th ranked Oliver Lines.

A pair of British golfers have been booted out of a Donald Trump Invitational event.

England‘s Sam Bairstow and Scotland‘s Calum Hill were among the DP World Tour pros in action for the Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links in Scotland this week.

2

2

However, disaster struck as the duo endured a nightmare time on the green.

Bairstow, who had been among the bookies’ favourites to win a maiden DP World Tour title event, saw his game go off course with a major error at the end of his opening round.

The 26-year-old had noted down a five on the par-4 14th hole, when he had actually shot a seven after missing a fairway with his tee shot and forced to hit a provisional.

And having not found his original tee shot, the Englishman played a tap-in thinking he had made a bogey, a mistake neither of his playing partners had picked up either, when he actually made a triple bogey

He had headed into the scorers’ tent believing he was one-over with a score of 73, but it was later revealed to him that he was actually three-over 75.

Bairstow then dropped another stinker with a double-bogey at the par-5 closing hole.

And less than 24 hours later, Hill was also ejected from the Championship after failing to hole out at the eighth – his penultimate shot of the day.

The two-time DP World Tour winner endured a frustrating afternoon in tough conditions as he finished round one on four-over courtesy of a torrid back nine holes on Thursday.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

A bogey on par-5 on Friday gave way in the second round to a birdie on the par-4 15th – only for that to be immediately cancelled with a dropped shot attempt on the following par-3.

At six-over he then suffered another birdie-bogey before adding another bogey on the fourth.

His tournament then ended on hole 17 as Hill missed a par putt from inside nine feet – with the cut-off line being three-over. – before he decided to call it a day.

The duo won’t collect anything from their efforts on Scotland’s north-east coast either.

However, Hill is not likely to fall any lower than his current 26th rank in the Race to Dubai, while Bairstow is set to fall four places from 54 to 58.

Earlier this year, the top 20 men’s and women’s players sent a letter to the four Grand Slams asking for a greater share of the revenue generated by the major tournaments.

“The US Open has made a deliberate and concerted effort to ensure double-digit percentage increases from 2024 in all rounds of all events for all players, while at the same time significantly increasing the percentage of prize money for athletes playing deep into the singles draws,” said a statement, external from the tournament organisers.

The pot of money on offer in men’s and women’s doubles at the US Open this year will be $4.78m (£3.6m) – an increase of 23% from 2024.

The tournament said that “for the first time ever” the winners of the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles would get $1m (£749,000) in prize money per team.

The US Open will also be providing $5m (£3.7m) in support for costs, including travel and expenses, for players in the main draw, while the prize money for the men’s and women’s qualifying tournaments will rise by 10% to $8m (£6m).

The 2025 US Open at Flushing Meadows runs from 24 August until 7 September.

“Welcome home.”

A Long Beach Poly assistant football coach offered a warm greeting to Mater Dei football coach Raul Lara on Saturday morning before the start of a summer passing tournament at Poly.

Lara, a Poly graduate who won five Southern Section championships in 13 seasons as the Jackrabbits’ head coach, was struck by some of the changes he saw, such as an all-weather sports field and bungalows on the old baseball field. The school has begun a $450-million construction project.

“I haven’t been here in a while,” Lara said. “They’re doing a lot of reconstruction. It’s pretty neat. It will be interesting when it’s completed. We didn’t have this. We had a dirt track, regular grass field. We used to have a pole by those two trash cans and we had a coach, Don Norford, that every time he yelled, ‘Hit the pole,’ everybody knew they were in trouble.”

Lara won a Southern Section Division 1 title and state championship last season in his first year at Mater Dei, and his team is a heavy favorite to repeat thanks to strong offensive and defensive lines as well as a receiving group that includes receiver Chris Henry Jr., who has commited to Ohio State, and tight end Mark Bowman, who has committed to USC.

“That group is special,” he said of his receiver group that includes Ohio State commit Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Georgia commit Gavin Honore and senior Koen Parnell.

Still to be decided is who starts at quarterback, with Wisconsin commit Ryan Hopkins competing with Minnesota commit Furian Inferrera. Asked if he could end up playing both, Lara said it was possible.

Asked if he was still having fun, Lara said, “It’s a different kind of fun. It’s more of a CEO fun. I have an awesome staff. All I do is make sure it’s functioning. They do a fantastic job.”

Saturday’s competition featured a rarity in that three outstanding tight ends were in the spotlight — Bowman, a USC commit; Andre Nickerson of Inglewood, an Southern Methodist commit; Jaden Hernandez of Poly, a Colorado State commit. Defensive backs were pushing and shoving and the tight ends were having none of that.

Long Beach Poly tight end Jaden Hernandez makes a catch.

(Craig Weston)

Mayfair has two college-bound defensive backs in Chaz Gilbreath (UC Davis) and Miles Mitchell (Air Force). Mitchell has a 4.5 grade-point average.

Poly’s Donte Wright is a junior cornerback committed to Georgia with a big upside because he’s 6 feet 2 and still growing with track speed. The Jackrabbits made it to the final of their tournament before losing to Mater Dei.

Teams are winding down their summer seven-on-seven passing tournament schedules. Coaches are starting to pass out shoulder pads because official practice begins July 28.

Luke Fahey looked right, then passed left. He looked left, then passed right. Defensive backs told to read a quarterback’s eyes might have trouble with Fahey, Mission Viejo High’s senior quarterback and Ohio State commit whose instincts, strong arm and decision-making are separating him from others in the class of 2026.

Then there’s something called character. For the last two years, he agreed to share playing time with Draiden Trudeau. Others might have bailed. Not Fahey.

“I feel God has a plan for everybody,” he said. “That was my journey. Of course, everyone wants to be a full-time starter, but that was a good thing for me. There was a lot of adversity during those two years. I learned so much from Drai, and he pushed me to be an even better quarterback and better leader.”

Anyone watching Fahey on Saturday at Edison’s Battle of the Beach seven-on-seven passing tournament were getting a glimpse of a 6-foot-1 quarterback in an obvious comfort zone calling his own plays and showing chemistry with a new group of receivers (returner Vance Spafford was missing because of illness). It’s no wonder that Ohio State and coach Ryan Day identified him as a recruiting priority.

“It was a big decision,” Fahey said. “For me, it was a no-brainer. It was a dream of mine to be at a place like that since I was a little kid. I told myself when I got the opportunity I’d take full advantage of it and maximize my opportunity. The coaches are amazing, the people there are even better. One thing that stood out they showed me a picture of their practice. I think 18 of 22 were in the NFL or got drafted. It speaks volumes to their program and my goal is to be a draft pick one day and make it to the NFL.”

Despite missing Spafford and star defensive back Jeron Jones, the Diablos went 7-0 and defeated Mission Hills in the final. The toughest game was a 26-25 win over Cathedral in the semifinals on a winning touchdown catch by Davonte Curtis. It’s been quite a summer for Mission Viejo, which also won its own passing tournament by beating Mater Dei in the final.

As the summer passing season nears conclusion and official football practice begins at the end of this month, Saturday’s Battle at the Beach is always a good opportunity to see teams and players making progress.

First-year Santa Margarita head coach Carson Palmer.

(Craig Weston)

Santa Margarita, under new coach Carson Palmer and new quarterback Trace Johnson, a transfer from Florida, will have lots of weapons this fall. The Eagles defeated Long Beach Millikan in the championship game of the Silver Division.

Brothers Trent and Grant Mosley will be key receivers for Santa Margarita.

(Craig Weston)

USC commit Trent Mosley, who didn’t play because of an injury, said of the new coaching staff, “It’s real good. I’m excited for the season.” His brother Grant, is an impressive sophomore receiver. The best opening game of the 11-man season will be Mission Viejo playing Santa Margarita on Aug. 22.

St. John Bosco junior safety Isala Wily-Ava is part of a secondary filled with talent.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

St. John Bosco clearly is one of most talented teams in regard to skill-position players, sending in wave after wave of top defensive backs and receivers. The Braves were young at those positions last season, so all it’s going to take is strong line play to combine with the skill-position talent to make another run at Trinity League rival Mater Dei. After going 4-0 in the morning session, the Braves lost to Mission Hills in the quarterfinals.

Dylan Brown (left) celebrates an interception with quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall of JSerra.

(Craig Weston)

JSerra, which lost starting quarterback Ryan Hopkins to Mater Dei, has a capable replacement in junior Koa Smith-Mayall, who missed all of last season recovering from a knee injury. He’s only 5 feet 10 but has a powerful arm and considers himself a dual threat quarterback.

“I guess everyone outside of JSerra thought we’d be in trouble, but I knew I’d be ready,” he said.

Cathedral made it to the semifinals behind quarterback Jaden Jefferson, who will be aided by an improved offensive line this fall.

One of the most impressive quarterbacks was Troy Huhn of Mission Hills, a Penn State commit who got his team in the final with a win over Corona del Mar, which was a surprise team behind quarterback Brady Annett and receiver Dorsett Stecker.

Finally, let’s not end the summer without knowing the answer to the question: Why did Fahey stay for four years at Mission Viejo?

“It speaks to what my dad and mom have preached to me since I was a little kid,” he said. “That you can’t up and leave. Loyalty is one of the biggest things in my family. I’m going to stay true to those who stay true to me.”

Says Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson of Fahey’s fortitude: “Amazing.”

In other tournaments on Saturday, Tustin defeated Bishop Amat in the final of the Clash in the Canyons tournament in Azusa. Mira Costa won the Culver City tournament. San Juan Hills won the Ocean View tournament over Downey. Quarterback Timmy Herr didn’t throw an interception in two games and relied on receivers Luke Frith, Ryan Matheson and Dean Kolasinski.

LA 2028 organisers have slated matches at the Olympic cricket tournament to start at 09:00 in the morning to cater for lucrative television audiences in India.

One of the major factors behind cricket’s return to the Games after a 128-year hiatus is the desire of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to tap into a lucrative South Asian media rights and sponsorship market.

The six-team T20 tournament, featuring both men’s and women’s teams, will begin on Wednesday, 12 July – two days before the opening ceremony – with all matches staged at a venue which will be constructed at the Fairgrounds in Pomona.

There will be two games played daily at Pomona – located 30 miles from the athletes’ village in Los Angeles – starting at 09:00 and 18:30 Pacific Daylight Time.

Those matches will be shown at 21:30 and 07:00 India Standard Time (17:00 and 02:30 British Summer Time).

The evening fixtures at the ground in Pomona will be played under floodlights.

Kit McConnell, who oversaw cricket’s return to the Games after a 128-year hiatus as the IOC’s sports director, told BBC Sport organisers considered “core cricket markets in the subcontinent” when planning the tournament.

“The vision the International Cricket Council (ICC) has outlined for us is aimed at providing the best players and the best teams on the Olympic stage,” McConnell said.

“There’s three years to go but now we’re very excited about where cricket is, what it will bring to the Games and equally what the Olympics can offer to cricket and its global expansion as well.”

Six weeks ago in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed one of Europe’s top teams in the UEFA Champions League final, earning a trophy and recognition as the world’s best club team.

On Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., PSG handed that mantle to Chelsea, which routed the exhausted Parisians 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final, PSG’s worst loss in nearly two years.

So ended the first expanded Club World Cup, a tournament manufactured mainly to monetize the sport while lengthening the season six weeks for some teams — both PSG and Chelsea were playing for the 65th time in 48 weeks — and further congesting an already crowded schedule for others. And though it attracted more than 2.4 million fans overall, more than a quarter of the games drew fewer than 17,000 people, four got less than 9,000 and the competition overall averaged about the same attendance as the top 25 summer friendlies played in the U.S. last summer.

That’s after FIFA, the event’s organizer, drastically reduced ticket prices and, in some cases, let people in for free. So why did we play this tournament at all?

Well, the best answer is the Club World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the real World Cup, which will be played at the same time and in some of the same stadiums next year. And if what FIFA learned from the club tournament doesn’t force it back to the drawing board to make some major changes for next summer — especially to kickoff times — it will be an education wasted.

The biggest takeaway was the weather. It was way too hot (and humid and stormy and just generally yucky).

Chelsea played three of its seven games in temperatures described by local weather authorities as “extreme,” meaning people were told to avoid strenuous physical activity or, in some cases, to even avoid going outdoors. (Sunday’s final kicked off in 81-degree temperatures and 69% humidity, conditions that necessitated two hydration breaks.)

“The heat is incredible,” Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said in Spanish before the final. “The other day I got a bit dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was dizzy. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.”

But it’s not just the danger to players FIFA should worry about (although that, clearly, is paramount). The conditions also change the way the game must be played, making it far less attractive to viewers.

“The speed of the game is not the same. Everything becomes very slow,” Fernandez said. “Let’s hope that next year they change the schedule.”

Wydad AC’s Cassius Mailula, center, and Mohamed Moufid try to cool off during a FIFA Club World Cup group match against Al Ain FC in Washington on June 26.

(Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press)

For the Club World Cup, many games started at midday or in the early afternoon so they could be broadcast in prime time in Europe and Africa. But the conditions on the field were often oppressive as a result.

MetLife Stadium, where Sunday’s final was played, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final, next summer. And while the kickoff times for that tournament won’t be revealed until the World Cup draw in December, BBC Sport said it has learned FIFA plans to start many East Coast games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time.

FIFA issued a statement earlier this month that suggested it is not taking the problem near seriously enough, touting the hydration breaks, in which matches are halted so players can get a drink, as “significant and progressive measures … being taken to protect the players from the heat.”

FIFPRO, the union representing international soccer players, isn’t being so dismissive.

“From a health and safety perspective, this [extreme heat] is something that must take priority over commercial interests with regards to the safety of the players,” Alexander Bielefeld, the union’s director of policy and strategic relations, said on a conference call. “Heat conditions are not happening in a vacuum. The debate on extreme heat is not happening in a vacuum.

“It’s actually quite foreseeable.”

According to FIFPRO, at least three games at the Club World Cup should have been suspended or postponed because of extreme weather. It was so hot during a group-play game in Cincinnati, in fact, Borussia Dortmund’s bench players stayed in the locker room, watching the first half on TV.

The last World Cup that played in the U.S., in 1994, remains the hottest in history, which is remarkable for a tournament that since been played in Africa and the Middle East. That year Mexico and Ireland faced off in Orlando, Fla., where midday temperatures hit 105 degrees. And it was 100 degrees on the field for the final, which kicked off at noon at the Rose Bowl. (Not surprisingly that game ended in a scoreless draw, as did the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, played at the Rose Bowl under equally as oppressive conditions. Both games were decided in penalty kicks.)

More severe weather is all but certain next year.

“What you’re seeing right now is very typical,” Ben Schott, operations chief with the National Weather Service, told the Athletic. “Next year we may be going through the same thing.

That’s not good since a half-dozen Club World Cup games were delayed or halted by weather this summer, including Chelsea’s round-of-16 win over Benfica in Charlotte, N.C. That match was paused for two hours because of lightning.

“I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. “But if you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.”

FIFA had a chance to protect its most valuable property, the World Cup final, by scheduling it for one of the four roofed stadiums chosen to host games in the U.S. in 2026. Instead it will tempt fate — and the weather gods — by playing the final at open-air MetLife.

If there were a silver lining to these storm clouds — I’m trying to be positive here — it’s that coaches and players are now keenly aware of what awaits them next summer, giving them ample time to get ready.

“We’re going to come prepared next year,” said Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, a French international. “There’s a lot of players that are doing the Club World Cup that will be doing the World Cup with their countries next year. So I think it’s a good preparation.”

Let’s hope FIFA is preparing as well. Because if the heat was on for the Club World Cup, it will be even warmer for the organizers of the real World Cup next summer.

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

Wales’ men qualifying for Euro 2016, their first major finals in 58-years, has transformed the way football has been viewed in Wales ever since.

Once undisputedly a rugby country, Wales’ men’s side are more than used to seeing ‘sold out’ signs at the Cardiff City Stadium and it is now more of a talking point when Wales don’t qualify for a major finals than when they do.

The fervour of that support has not, however, translated to the women’s side, until now.

Wales sold more tickets than two of their Euro 2025 group D opponents, Netherlands and France, with the Red Wall showing a commitment to Rhian Wilkinson’s side that has previously been missing.

Many supporters in Switzerland have attended their first women’s football matches and the hope is that the visibility of the tournament will add interest in the women’s game, with boss Rhian Wilkinson previously expressing disappointment that supporters prioritise watching the men’s side.

The Welsh support in Switzerland has caught people’s attention, both inside and outside of the Wales camp.

“The fans have been loving it, they have been superb this whole journey, they have been our 12th person,” captain Angharad James reflected.

“The fans have given us so many special moments with the noise they have created, there have been times when all we’ve seen and heard is that Red Wall, just a sea of red.

“Wales have been by far the best crowd that I’ve seen out in this Euros.”

Wales’ cap centurion Sophie Ingle revealed that after Wales defeat by the Netherlands, her former Chelsea teammate, Wieke Kaptein, messaged her to say how moving she found the rendition of Hen Wlad fy Nhadau.

Wales will now hope that support will translate to bigger crowds for home matches, with Wales’ record attendance still not having even reached the 20,000 mark.

“Hopefully that’s what it’s going to do in so many ways,” former Wales defender Danny Gabbidon said.

“The game is growing. Football now is the most popular sport that girls are playing in Wales.

“That process has started, but it needs to continue. This is just the start for this team.”