World

GLASTONBURY fans reckon they’ve uncovered a major clue about a surprise headliner for next year’s festival.

The chatter began after rock legends U2 announced the UK and European dates of their massive new world tour yesterday, and eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a suspicious gap in their schedule.

The Irish superstars, fronted by Bono, will perform at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 18 and 19, 2027.

But their next scheduled concert isn’t until June 30, when they head to Berlin’s Olympiastadion in Germany.

And the 11-day gap between shows just happens to include Glastonbury Festival, which returns to Worthy Farm from June 23 to 27 following a year off.

The coincidence has sent fans into a frenzy, with some convinced U2 could be preparing a secret appearance on the famous Pyramid Stage.

Glast-no

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Taking to Reddit, one fan wrote: “I’ve just seen they are performing in London 18th and 19th June, then off to Germany on 30th. Maybe just a gap to add more shows or a glasto gap?”

Another replied: “Was literally about to post this.” A third insisted: “There’s no way they wouldn’t headline. They could do the secret pyramid set on the Saturday (the Foo Fighters / Pulp set).”

U2 previously headlined Glastonbury in 2011, having been forced to pull out of their original 2010 appearance after Bono underwent emergency back surgery.

Their newly announced Greatest Show On Earth World Tour will take the band across Europe, with stops including Stockholm, Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam and Milan.

Meanwhile, speculation is already mounting over who will top the bill at Glastonbury 2027, with Harry Styles, Sam Fender, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Rihanna among the names linked to the festival.

Organiser Emily Eavis has confirmed all three Pyramid Stage headliners have already been booked, although their identities remain under wraps.

She has also ruled out Madonna and Oasis, despite previous rumours suggesting both acts could make an appearance.

While Sherrock was celebrating, Ireland’s ‘Fierce’ Pearse Mackle, a 21-year-old university student from County Cavan, was left wondering what could have been.

Mackle, who competes on PDC’s Development Tour, was the eighth competitor and failed to hit a match-winning bullseye, instead finding the nine, and his life-changing moment came and went.

He was the only other player, apart from Sherrock, to cause Littler a fright.

For most of the night, Littler cruised through the competition as he went in search of the £501,000, which he had said he would donate to charity.

With former England footballer Gary Lineker hosting and with comedian Lee Mack and television presenter Richard Osman joining Turner as part of the punditry team, this was a night to bring darts to a new audience.

The first challenger was 16-year-old Kasey Smith from Manchester, but Littler showed he was in no mood to mess about, hitting treble 20s against her with his first two darts on his way to an easy win.

Some of Littler’s opponents had never played a competitive game of darts, although everyone was keen to make the most of the experience.

With John McDonald, who retired as the main PDC master of ceremonies after the 2026 World Championship final, announcing the players before their elaborate walk-ons, this was a fun event, although most players came nowhere near beating Littler.

But there were still entertaining moments. Fourteen-year-old Jayden Walker, a year 10 pupil from Dorset, threw off a school blazer and tie to reveal his darts outfit and, as the third-highest ranked player, threatened to cause a huge shock.

But Littler raised his game when he needed to, hitting a maximum 180 followed by a 158 checkout, the highest of the night, to defeat his fellow teenager in only 12 darts.

Taylon Forrester, 18, described himself as a “binman who works with his dad” and he jumped out of a dumpster on his way to the oche.

Other entrants included Zac Spain, a jockey from Melbourne, Australia, Frenchman Theodore Wallich, who dubbed himself the ‘Moustache Kid’, 57-year-old Mark Pooke, another 14-year-old in Makinley Cooper-Johnson and Will Kemp, back playing after a heart attack earlier this year.

But Sherrock, whose participation in the competition had been questioned because of her past achievements in the sport, was the real winner, even if she had been described by Lineker as a “hairdresser from Milton Keynes”.

With Littler on stage for more than two hours, he inevitably tired with his standard dropping and Sherrock was the one to take advantage, winning in a 15-dart leg in match number 15.

Hearn reappeared to present Sherrock with a huge cheque for her life-changing victory to end a surreal night of action.

Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox set a new world record as she won C4 1km gold at the Para Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands.

The 35-year-old crossed the line in 1 minute 9.545 seconds to win her seventh world title.

Cox faced a nervous wait as Tara Neyland took to the track afterwards in pursuit of a medal, but her Australian rival could not eclipse the Briton’s time.

Cox, who is a five-time Paralympic gold medallist, was draped in a British flag by her team following victory as she joyously celebrated her first world title since 2024.

In the men’s tandem B 1km time-trial, Britain’s James Ball defended his title as he won gold alongside new partner Aaron Pope.

The pair dominated in the final, crossing the line in 59.563 seconds as Ball secured his eighth world title, with Pope winning his first.

In the women’s pursuit final, Britain’s Sophie Unwin alongside Jenny Holl won silver behind New Zealand’s gold medallists Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges.

Unwin and Holl had earlier set a new world record of 4:30.262 in qualifying, before it was broken by Foy and Hodges’ time of 4:29.672.

In the men’s C4 final, Britain’s Archie Atkinson won bronze, while compatriot Fin Graham also took bronze in the C3 1km time-trial.

The small-market World Series in Major League Baseball wrapped up this week, with the Milwaukee Brewers winning their first title in franchise history.

The title triumph came 44 years after Milwaukee’s only other trip to the Fall Classic, when they lost to the St Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982.

But beyond the memorable victory, the series’ television ratings made for underwhelming reading, raising questions about baseball’s reach and relevance in a United States sports market dominated by American football and basketball.

Al Jazeera breaks down the numbers and more:

Who played in the 2026 MLB World Series?

The World Series, the championship series of the 2026 MLB season, saw the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers compete in a best-of-seven playoff series.

At the end of the October 23-28 playoff series, Milwaukee were crowned winners, as they clinched their first World Series title.

Milwaukee’s 57-year wait for a championship ended on Wednesday after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to wrap up the Fall Classic in five games.

Why didn’t the 2026 World Series capture TV audiences?

While the final Nielsen ratings report is still pending, estimates show an average of 11.82 million viewers tuned in for the 2026 World Series across the Fox network.

Milwaukee’s 10-1 win at Tampa in Game 3 attracted the lowest audience, 8.33 million, while Game 5, in which Milwaukee sealed the championship, drew the highest with 14.22 million viewers.

The overall average is much lower than the 2025 and 2024 World Series, which drew 15.49 million and 15.1 million viewers, respectively, as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the title both times.

This year’s World Series’ underwhelming viewership could be linked to the two teams’ relatively low payrolls and markets – the Brewers’ payroll ranks 19th in MLB ($146m), and the Rays are 28th ($95m).

The Brewers also rank as the smallest market team in MLB, generating the lowest local commercial and TV revenue, while the Rays rank squarely in the league’s middle.

Hence, when the Brewers and Rays met this year on MLB’s biggest stage, it marked the first World Series clash between two of baseball’s smallest spenders in 35 ⁠years.

On the other hand, nine-time World Series winners Dodgers, who competed in the last two World Series, boast a star-studded lineup on a hefty payroll, featuring marquee star Shohei Ohtani, former MVP Mookie Betts, 10-time All-Star Freddie Freeman and others.

Those factors keep them in the tier 1 market size category – one that represents the biggest media and population footprints in the sport.

How does the World Series compare with other US sports?

The 2026 World Series’ viewership figures also pale in comparison to those of other major US sports leagues.

Basketball’s 2026 NBA Finals, in which the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 to end a 53-year drought, attracted a series average of 20.58 million viewers. Game 5 was the most-watched NBA Finals game 5 since 1998, averaging 24.54 million viewers and peaking at 33 million.

Elsewhere in international football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in North America, also produced record numbers. Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina delivered a combined average audience of 62.8 million across Fox and Telemundo, making it the most-watched football match ever in the United States.

American football, by far, is the most-watched sport in the US.

A Nielsen report found that an estimated 125.6 million viewers watched the National Football League’s Super Bowl LX, as the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13.

NBC’s presentation of Super Bowl LX ranked as the second most-watched Super Bowl in history, behind the 127.7 million viewers who watched Super Bowl LIX in 2025.

The only major American sports league that performs weakly against MLB is the National Hockey League (NHL), a professional ice hockey league in North America.

An average of 5.2 million viewers tuned in for the 2026 Stanley Cup, won by the Carolina Hurricanes, who defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2.

Why was the 2026 MLB London series cancelled?

MLB initially scheduled to host two games in London in mid-2026, with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays pencilled in to play on June 13 and 14 at London Stadium, the home ground of English football team West Ham United.

But the plan was cancelled due to scheduling issues with the venue and baseball’s television partner.

West Ham played their 2025-26 Premier League season’s final match against Leeds United at the ground on May 24, leaving very little time to convert the field to baseball, which can take up to three weeks.

Furthermore, MLB was unable to schedule games at the same venue later in June because Fox lacked available broadcast slots as that period clashed with the FIFA World Cup.

MLB games have been played abroad on several occasions, from Japan to Australia, since it was first played in Mexico in 2000.

MLB is also working on grassroots initiatives in India, known for its affinity for cricket, and last week hosted MLBx, a fast-paced 3-on-3 baseball competition that brought together baseball and softball stars.

Are other US sports leagues also held abroad?

Yes, major US sports leagues have made strides in expanding their international footprints, regularly hosting regular-season games, exhibition matches and special events abroad.

The NFL hosts regular-season games abroad in locations including London, Munich, Madrid, Sao Paulo and Mexico City.

Last month, the league expanded its presence with games in Melbourne, and the NFL’s first game Down Under drew 100,021 fans, making it the seventh most-attended regular-season game in NFL history.

With a large portion of the league’s player base and revenue coming from outside the US, the NBA also plays regular-season and preseason games in international cities like Paris, Abu Dhabi and Mexico City.

England (0) 6

Try: Cousins Goal: Rowe

Samoa (12) 24

Tries: Crichton Ropati 3, Taulelei-Siala, Fanua Rimoni

Goal: Piliae-Rasabale Penalty: Piliae-Rasabale

England’s women took one step back in the hope of taking two forward as they exited the Rugby League World Cup at the group stage.

With Stuart Barrow’s side defeated by Samoa – despite a spirited display – their focus immediately shifts forward to 2030.

Whether that long-term strategy will bear dividends, though, is as uncertain as the location of the tournament in four years’ time, which is yet to be confirmed.

After reaching the semi-final stage at the previous four World Cups, England’s eye was clearly on the future this time.

That was reflected in Barrow’s thinking for this tournament when he named a squad containing 11 players aged 23 or under.

While the 70-6 rout of a Wales team ill-equipped to compete at this level on their bow had been anticipated and briefly raised expectation levels, what has followed has only underlined the gulf in class England still have to bridge.

And having been humbled again by the Jillaroos just under a week ago, any suggestions that the experience was the “best preparation” they could have for a make-or-break final group game were trashed on Friday in Wollongong.

Instead, the great power and pace of the Samoa players showed almost straight away.

Freedom Crichton Ropati twice went over in the right corner as England fought a rearguard action and the Parramatta Eels winger completed her hat-trick before the break as Samoa enjoyed a huge territorial advantage.

And it looked ominous for England when Mercedez Taulelei-Siala capitalised on a huge overload down the left to score straight after half-time and extend Samoa’s lead to 16-0.

However, when Evie Cousins, who had been in tears towards the end of the first period after failing to catch a routine high ball, skipped over in the left corner, after a superb line break from Hollie-Mae Dodd, it sparked England back into life.

Isabel Rowe added the extras and when Pauline Piliae-Rasabale elected to take two points from a penalty for Samoa it underlined the pressure that Barrow’s side had been able to apply.

While England went out in the last four on a dark and dank night in York four years ago, their departure from this World Cup was in an altogether more scenic setting, with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop.

Had Fran Goldthorp been able to offload without her pass straying forward, when England had two players spare and the try-line at their mercy, it could have made for an entirely different conclusion.

Instead, when they then failed to find touch after winning a penalty, they were punished ruthlessly as Fanua Rimoni crashed over for Samoa’s fifth try to seal their passage into the last four and a meeting with New Zealand.

Nairobi, Kenya – For more than four decades, the World Athletics Championships have been held across continents but never in Africa.

That changes in 2029, when Nairobi becomes the first African city to host the track and field championships, bringing the sport’s flagship global competition to a continent whose athletes have helped shape its history.

The World Athletics Championships were established in 1983 in Helsinki, Finland, after decades in which athletics’ biggest global competitions were largely tied to the Olympic Games. The inaugural championships brought together 1,333 athletes from 153 countries, laying the foundation for one of the most important events on the international sporting calendar.

Africa’s relationship with athletics stretches much further back. Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila became the first African to win Olympic marathon gold in 1960, followed by generations of track and field athletes including Uganda’s John Akii-Bua, Morocco’s Said Aouita and a succession of Kenyan champions.

Kenya’s own story is particularly significant. Kipchoge Keino’s 1,500-metre triumph at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics helped establish Kenya as a global distance-running powerhouse. Generations that followed – from Paul Tergat and David Rudisha to Eliud Kipchoge, Vivian Cheruiyot, Hellen Obiri and Faith Kipyegon – have turned Kenyan athletics into a global sporting identity.

Kenya is the second most successful nation in World Athletics Championships history.

For Keino, the two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder whose achievements helped establish Kenya’s reputation in distance running, Nairobi’s selection represents the culmination of decades of progress.

“When we started running, we were young Kenyans with a dream to represent our country and show the world that African athletes could compete at the highest level. Seeing Kenya prepare to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029 is a deeply special moment,” Keino told Al Jazeera.

“It is a testament to how far our country has come from sending athletes abroad to compete, to welcoming the world to our own home.”

Keino said hosting the championships would also give Kenya an opportunity to showcase its talent, culture and hospitality while investing in the future of athletics.

How did Kenya win the bid?

Kenya’s campaign to host the 2029 championships lasted three years and culminated in victory at the World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest on September 15 .

Competing bids came from London, Rome and Munich, all cities with established records of hosting major international athletics events.

Nairobi’s bid highlighted the ongoing renovation of Kasarani stadium ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as Kenya’s experience hosting the 2017 World U18 Championships and the 2021 World U20 junior Championships. Kenya also drew lessons from its unsuccessful bid for the 2025 championships, which was awarded to Tokyo.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the council had received four strong bids and described Nairobi’s proposal as “compelling and emotional”.

“Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented two compelling propositions. They offer very different but equally exciting opportunities for our sport, and I am delighted that we can now begin working with both cities to stage two world-class championships,” Coe said.

Athletics Kenya declined to comment on the decision.

Doping questions return

The celebrations were quickly accompanied by questions over whether Kenya can host an event of this scale while dealing with persistent scrutiny over doping in athletics.

Since the international sport governing body World Athletics established the Athletics Integrity Unit in 2017, 318 Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned for anti-doping rule violations, according to figures reported following the announcement. Of those, 136 were still serving bans.

Kenya is not among the countries with the highest overall number of anti-doping violations globally, but its prominence in distance running means high-profile cases often attract considerable international attention.

Kenya’s anti-doping system has also faced scrutiny. In 2025, the World Anti-Doping Agency found Kenya’s anti-doping agency non-compliant with the global anti-doping code, putting additional scrutiny on the country’s system. Kenya was removed from the agency’s compliance watchlist in 2026 after corrective measures.

Recent cases, including the bans of marathon world-record holder Ruth Chepngetich and former half-marathon world-record holder Kibiwott Kandie, have kept the issue in the spotlight.

For Nairobi, the challenge will be to demonstrate that its anti-doping systems are strong enough to protect the credibility of the 2029 championships.

Kenyan Member of Parliament Dan Wanyama, who chairs the committee on sports and culture, said the country has the experience and infrastructure to host the event.

“We have already held several athletics championships which were very successful. It is a thing of pride for us to defeat major global cities London, Munich and Rome,” Wanyama told Al Jazeera.

“As the chair of the sports committee in Parliament, I can assure you we have the right infrastructure in place because the championship will be held at Moi International Sports Stadium (known locally as Kasarani). The contractor is already on site and preparations have started in earnest.”

Kenyan athletics fan Winston Omondi said some of the criticism of Kenya was unfairly focused on the country.

“If it was about doping, then there are so many developed countries that should not even be participating in athletics, including London itself,” Omondi told Al Jazeera.

More than one stadium

Doping is not the only test facing Kenya.

As the country prepares to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with sporting infrastructure being upgraded at Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums, the World Athletics Championships will require more than a competition venue.

Nairobi will have to ensure adequate training and warm-up facilities while improving transport links, accommodation and athlete services. The city will also need reliable systems for security, accreditation, broadcasting, medical care and the movement of thousands of athletes, officials, journalists and spectators.

Beyond the stadiums, Nairobi’s wider infrastructure will come under scrutiny, particularly its traffic congestion and public transport network.

The success of the championships will therefore depend on more than upgrading Kasarani. Kenya will have to demonstrate that Nairobi can deliver a seamless experience for a global sporting event while maintaining the standards expected of one of athletics’ biggest competitions.

For a country whose athletes have spent decades representing Africa on the world stage, hosting the championships is a historic opportunity. It is also a test of whether a continent that has produced generations of world-class athletes can host the sport’s biggest global events on its own ground.

But winning the bid was only the first race.

As Omondi put it: “We have come so far as people, as a country and as a continent for us to be judged in this way.”

However, Cameron Norrie fell short of his best victory of the season when world number five Daniil Medvedev saved match point to win their last-16 match.

A frustrating year has seen Norrie drop to 41st in the world rankings and exit each of the past three Grand Slam tournaments in the first round.

But the 31-year-old showed his key attributes – tenacity, athleticism and controlled aggression – to threaten a huge upset against Medvedev.

Third seed Medvedev, fresh from winning the Almaty title last week, was left angrily punching the surface when he fell a break down in the deciding set.

Norrie served for the match at 5-3 40-30, but Medvedev picked off his opponent’s serve-volley attempt and fought back to win 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1).

Second seed Alcaraz also progressed with a 6-1 7-6 (13-11) win over Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals were harmed by a second-round defeat at the Swiss Indoors event in Basel.

The 24-time major champion, 39, lost 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-7 (5-7) to Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, who produced some inspired tennis to beat the Serb for the first time in nine attempts.

Great Britain’s Jody Cundy’s 20-year reign as para cycling’s C4 kilo time trial world champion was ended by Australian Korey Boddington at the para cycling track world championships in the Netherlands.

Cundy, 48, won the world title in 2006 and had managed to hold onto his rainbow jersey in the 15 world championships since.

But battling for his 17th title in the C4 kilo discipline, Cundy had to settle for silver after finishing his kilometre in one minute and 4.93 seconds, a time which Boddington beat by 2.25 seconds on the final run.

Before the event, Cundy had said “age was catching up with him” and it would be “hard” to add to his 23 track cycling world titles.

Cundy is a nine-time Paralympic champion – with three of his medals coming in para swimming between 1996 and 2000.

Elsewhere on day one of the championships, Great Britain’s Rebecca Newark took gold in the women’s C5 kilo time trial.

In the women’s B kilo time trial, Britain’s Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holl won silver and Elizabeth Jordan and pilot Anna Whitworth Hay claimed bronze.

Great Britain’s Finlay Graham also took bronze in the men’s C3 sprint final.

TeamLab, the Japan-born, tech-heavy immersive art collective, is plotting its first permanent U.S. exhibition in Anaheim. The group, stylized as teamLab, is moving into a 110,000-square-foot space at OCVibe, the 100-acre mixed-use entertainment district currently in development near the Honda Center.

Details are scant, as the TeamLab spot is not estimated to open until 2030, but a press release specifies this will be a new exhibition and not a recreation of one of the collective’s popular international exhibits. TeamLab got its start in Tokyo in 2001, but over the years grew from exhibiting in galleries to building its own museum-like spaces, today having permanent locales in Japan, China and Saudi Arabia.

A TeamLab installation is something of an immersive playground, inviting guests to sometimes take off their shoes to interact with floor-to-ceiling walk-through attractions that split the difference between art and play. One of its showcase facilities, Tokyo’s TeamLab Planets, welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors in 2024, a Guinness world record for the most visited art museum by a single group.

An artist’s rendering of the Anaheim location, estimated to open in 2030.

(OCVibe)

“For teamLab, through art, we seek to explore what perception is and what existence is,” said Toshiyuki Inoko, a founder of TeamLab, in a release announcing the exhibit.

“The artworks change with the presence of people, making them an integral part of the art itself. People immerse themselves with their entire bodies, transcending the boundaries between themselves, the artworks, and the world around them, becoming part of a borderless continuity.”

TeamLab’s Anaheim location is just three miles from Disneyland, which draws more than 17 million people to the area. TeamLab is just one of many immersive art destinations coming to SoCal, as Meow Wolf will be opening a permanent exhibition in the coming months, and firms such as Hopscotch and the Museum of Ice Cream also have area exhibitions on the horizon.

“Anaheim has always been a place where people come to experience something they can’t find anywhere else, and teamLab will expand our appeal to new audiences from around the world. Experiences like this inspire longer stays, repeat visits,” stated Mike Waterman, president and chief executive of the tourism-focused Visit Anaheim.

The deal between TeamLab and OCVibe backers is worth more than $100 million, Bloomberg reported. OCVibe is the vision of Henry and Susan Samueli, owners of the Anaheim Ducks, and it will open in phases. A 5,000 capacity concert hall is set to open next year, followed by a food hall.

The TeamLab building will be visible from the freeway, and is being designed by Smith-Clementi, OCVibe’s master planners. Based on concept art shown, expect a shimmering, scale-like pattern designed to evoke movement.

“This building feels different depending on the direction or pace of your approach,” said Julie Smith-Clementi . “The time of day, or movement of clouds participates in rendering its iridescent cloak, enriching what you think you see. We want the design to leave room for imagination and discovery and, like in nature, to offer something new with each visit.”

OCVibe will also offer office space, residences and two hotels. It’s estimated to be completed by 2033.

Walt Disney World holidays are a bucket list event but that can amp up the pressure to get ‘everything’ right – we take a look at some easy booking tips not to be missed

At 40 square miles, Walt Disney World isn’t just theme park. The entire resort is roughly the same size of San Francisco, with four theme parks, two water parks, countless hotels, and even Disney Springs, a dedicated shopping zone with a cinema, theatre and bowling alley. While all of that means heaps of rides, shows, attractions and play areas to discover, it’s not surprising that for first-timers it can feel overwhelming.

Mickey Mouse’s Orlando home is worth it; it genuinely lives up to the hype. The pyrotechnics, the immersion, the magic; it’s all brilliant. But a place this huge requires planning – it’s not somewhere you want to wing it entirely. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World three times and let me tell you; the difference between a magical holiday and a sweaty, feral meltdown can come down to some tactical decisions.

Here are my top tips for getting the most out of your Walt Disney World holiday…

1. Make use of Walt Disney world package deals

Booking doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you can find Walt Disney World packages that include your hotel, flights and park tickets. British Airways Holidays currently offers seven-night packages in 2027 including your return flights, a Disney hotel stay, 2027 Free Dining + Drinks Offer and 14 days for the price of 7 Disney Magic Tickets. Package options include:

• 3* Disney’s All Star Sports Resort, from £1899pp
• 4* Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, from £2249pp
• 5* Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa from £3749pp

You can book by November 1 to make use of the deals on ba.com/orlando. Disney’s 7-day and 14-Day Magic Tickets cover all four theme parks (and park hopping), water parks, and a Memory Maker which gives you unlimited professional photo downloads.

You can find plenty more information and packages at disneyholidays.co.uk.

2. Download the Walt Disney World App

It is not optional. It is the holiday. Live wait times, park hours, maps, restaurant bookings, your photos and, if you’re staying on-site, your hotel room key all live in the My Disney Experience app.

Download it before you fly and learn where things are. Resort guests can book Lightning Lane passes up to seven days before their stay begins, so work out your must-do rides now. Turning up without a ride strategy is exactly how Snow White ended up exhausted, making a panicked apple purchase, and sharing one bathroom with seven strangers. My must-do rides? TRON, Flight of Passage, Rise of the Resistance and the new muppets-themed Rock N Rollercoaster.

Consider a MagicBand+ too. This handy watch can be used to tap into the theme parks, unlock your hotel door, scan into fast pass queues, and even download your ride photos straight to your account. There are some fun surprises along the way – one of which is how it syncs up to the evening fireworks!

3. Meal planning

Do not be a poor, unfortunate soul standing in a 40-minute queue for a cheeseburger. Nothing triggers a family mutiny faster than a hangry child in the Florida sun. Use the Mobile Order feature on the app. You tap a button, waltz past the sweating masses, grab your tray, and try to hide your supreme smugness.

For proper sit-down dining, you can book exactly 60 days out before your visit. Just be warned to get in early, as tables in the more popular restaurants feel like they vanish faster than Cinderella’s carriage at midnight. My elite tier? Space 220 and Via Napoli in Epcot, Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Hollywood Studios.

As for Character Dining, it’s worth the splurge. At the Grand Floridian’s 1900 Park Fare, I ate Eggs Benedict and gummy bears with Cinderella, Tiana, Mirabel, and Aladdin coming directly to my table. It is peak efficiency. Let the royalty come to you. (Prices for this experience cost £44 per adult and from £27 per child at 1900 Park Fare).

Currently if you book by November 4, Walt Disney World has a Free Disney Dining and Drinks deal for holidays in 2027, which includes school holiday dates. The offer includes free table service dining plans or quick service plans, along with one drink per meal (alcoholic or non-alcoholic, depending on the plan chosen). The offer applies to a minimum of five consecutive nights when booking a Walt Disney World hotel alongside a park ticket package.

4. It doesn’t have to be an intense holiday

You do not need to be strapped to a ride vehicle for 14 consecutive hours to “get your money’s worth.” The Florida heat is aggressive, and the daily walking can be tiring. Take breaks, like enjoying some downtime at your hotel. Do not become a Disney Villain just because you want to force your sobbing toddler onto Peter Pan’s Flight a third time.

Don’t dismiss the water parks either. I retreated to Blizzard Beach – a “melted ski resort” where you float down a lazy river in blazing sunshine surrounded by fake snow. It is an absolute fever dream of a concept, and it is glorious. Disney has been here for decades. The castle will still be there after you’ve had a lie-down.

5. Don’t underestimate the size of the place

Walt Disney World isn’t simply one theme park; in fact, the entire resort is roughly the same size of San Francisco. Leave the glass slippers at home and pack your broken-in trainers. You will walk a half-marathon every day, and wet shoes feel like walking on angry sponges. And for the love of Jiminy Cricket, bring a refillable bottle. Ice water is completely free at quick-service spots if you just ask.

Staying on-site at a Disney hotel comes with some handy perks; for example, you get free transfers from your accommodation to the parks, and you can get 30 minutes of Early Theme Park Entry. Half an hour may not sound like a huge amount, but it’s enough to get in the parks early and head to the biggest rides before the queues kick in. The easy transport options also mean you can park hop or head back to your hotel for a break.

My advice is plan the logistics for high-stakes elements such as key rides you want to do, or food you want to eat, but leave space on the itinerary for the plot twists, and even just time to sit by the hotel pool doing absolutely nothing. This is a holiday after all!

Jay-Z has chosen himself to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.

The 25-time Grammy winner will perform at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Valentine’s Day, Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation announced during the Cowboys vs. Eagles “Monday Night Football” matchup.

This caps a banner year for Jay-Z. The rap superstar performed two back-to-back concerts at SoFi Stadium last weekend — part of his “Jay-Z 30” tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” and the 25th anniversary of “The Blueprint.” He sold out three nights at New York’s Yankee Stadium in July, followed by stops in London and Paris. He partnered with legendary music producer Rick Rubin on “Jay-Z in 8,” an eight-part documentary about his life and legacy released by HBO last month.

“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” Jay-Z said in a news release. “Thirty years of music, work and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”

Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles were reportedly also in the running, but lost out to the decision-maker himself.

Super Bowl LXI marks the eighth year that Roc Nation, the entertainment behemoth founded by Jay-Z, will produce the halftime show. The Brooklyn rapper has had the ultimate say in who the halftime performer is every year since 2020. In 2019, Roc Nation signed on to consult the NFL on live music entertainment and the social justice initiative Inspire Change, which aims to reduce barriers to opportunity, especially in underserved communities. They extended their deal in 2024 for another five years.

Roc Nation will executive-produce “The Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show” and Hamish Hamilton will serve as director.

“For several years, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Jay-Z and Roc Nation, and I’ve seen the extraordinary impact he has had on the Super Bowl Halftime Show,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release. “When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him. I couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring to the Super Bowl stage.”

Jay-Z told Entertainment Tonight in 2024 that it was too soon for him to take on the task.

“I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early. Maybe one year. Maybe,” he said.

The NFL had approached him years prior about headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, but it came with the stipulation to perform “Run This Town” with Rihanna and Kanye West.

“Of course I would have,” Jay-Z told the New York Times in 2020, “but I said, ‘No, you get me.’ That is not how you go about it, telling someone that they’re going to do the halftime show contingent on who they bring. I said forget it. It was a principle thing.”

Rihanna eventually performed at the 2023 Super Bowl. She may be one of his guest stars come Feb. 14, but he could tap any top artist to perform, considering his label’s deep roster of talent … and the fact that he’s married to Beyoncé. Beyoncé headlined the halftime show in 2013 and made a guest appearance during Coldplay’s Super Bowl 50 set in 2016.

Bad Bunny headlined the show in February, which created an uproar and something of a culture war. “Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, put together a so-called All-American Halftime Show featuring Kid Rock in an appeal to viewers scandalized by … the Spanish language? Dancing? The idea of fun?” Times music critic Mikael Wood wrote in his review. “For the NFL, the blowback was a calculated risk as the league makes a push to globalize its fan base.”

Before Bad Bunny, performers have included (in reverse chronological order): Kendrick Lamar; Usher; Rihanna; Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige (all together in 2022); the Weeknd; and Shakira and Jennifer Lopez (also together). Last season’s game drew almost 125 million viewers; this is one of — if not the — biggest stages in music.

The Super Bowl will air on ESPN, ABC and Disney+.

Georgia Roche replaces Jenna Foubister at half-back for England women, with Hope Millard stepping up to the bench for their must-win final group game.

England have to beat Samoa to finish second in Group A and qualify for the semi-finals.

They beat Wales 70-6 in their opener, but were thrashed 78-0 by reigning champions Australia in Perth last weekend.

Foubister, 19, started against Australia after a superb domestic season where she was named Super League Woman of Steel.

But she struggled against the strength of Australia, so coach Stu Barrow has opted for the experience of Roche instead.

The loss of key player Eva Hunter to a leg injury suffered against the Jillaroos has prompted a pack reshuffle, with Hollie-Mae Dodd moving from prop to the back row.

Mary Coleman comes in at prop as a result, while England are boosted by captain Jodie Cunningham overcoming an ear injury suffered last week to be named on the bench.

Georgia Wilson is in for Molly Jones in the centres, while Millard – the only heritage player left in the England set-up following Jasmin Strange’s tournament-ending knee injury – is back in the squad.

A win would earn England a semi-final spot, where they would most likely face New Zealand, who beat them in the last four of the previous World Cup in 2022.

England women: Fran Goldthorp, Anna Davies, Georgia Wilson, Connie Boyd, Amelia Brown, Izzy Rowe, Georgia Roche, Mary Coleman, Keara Bennett, Liv Wood, Lucy Murray, Hollie-Mae Dodd, Megan Williams.

Interchange: Jodie Cunningham, Vicky Whitfield, Hope Millard, Lucie Sams.

Reserves: Ruby Bruce, Evie Cousins, Molly Jones

You don’t like Luka Doncic’s attitude.

I love it.

You think the Lakers star whines too much. All the complaining to officials kills you. If there were a suggestion box, you’d follow Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and lodge a complaint.

You do whatever you want; I’m not offended by any of it.

You are not entertained. You don’t like the demonstrative way he waves off calls. You hate how he’ll belabor a point for possessions at a time — as he did, per usual, in Friday’s not-particularly pretty 125-117 victory over the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers improved to 2-0 and Doncic had 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and, if you’re looking to complain, a career high-tying 11 turnovers.

But me? I am entertained — endlessly. As long as Luka’s list of grievances is long.

Because Doncic is a maniac. Not a mad man, a madman. And a reminder that these millionaires are playing a child’s game, because no one relishes it with quite the joy and verve and passion and emotion and occasional tantrum like Doncic does.

He’s someone who arrived onstage, talented beyond his years. He’s also a toddler.

He couldn’t change if he wanted to, but would you really want him to?

There’s no slicing and dicing without a sufficiently sharp edge.

And I get it. Opposing fans — and their teams’ general managers, whose preseason survey answers about this season’s prospective MVP candidates excluded Doncic in favor of Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum — are not supposed to appreciate Luka’s lip.

But if you’re a Lakers fan, you have to know you can’t take out the trash talk from Doncic’s game. You can’t ask him nicely to clean up his mess, man. Petty isn’t going to be pretty. And everyone can get it — including, once, the reporters on press row covering Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks. “You can’t guard me!” he screamed at us, ridiculously.

You have to let him cook, your very own basketball anarchist.

Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts during a win over the Clippers on Friday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“He’s always going to play with an edge,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “As long as he’s not causing the other team to have a five-on-four transition opportunity, it doesn’t bother me.”

And if he’s not toeing the line on a late-season suspension triggered by a 16th technical foul, his antics probably wouldn’t bother Lakers fans, either.

“This season, I’m trying to not get techs,” Doncic said after Wednesday’s season-opening victory against the Warriors, when he and Lendeborg mixed it up. “It was the first time that was not a double tech, ’cause I didn’t say nothing. So I’m working on it.”

It isn’t that Doncic busies himself with the refs because he’s lazy and doesn’t want to get back on defense — do you know how much stamina it takes to keep up a marathon-length running dialogue? How exhausting it has to be to litigate every little thing, to be so constantly aggrieved?

It’s a special part of his special skill set; put him in the top 1% in the world of complainers. If he wasn’t one of the world’s top 1% of hoopers, imagine him in court instead of on the court; he’d be a bulldog: Objection! Objection! Objection!

The man is a rascal, but he’s not a villain. Everything he does is with a wink-wink twinkle in his eye.

He never shuts up on the court, but he’s a man of few words off of it, low-key and community-minded and in the top 1% of patient autograph-givers. A generous teammate to whom good vibes matter much.

But he’s an absolute menace to compete against and, yes, to officiate.

So, kids, don’t try this at home. At least not during a basketball game. Don’t show that energy to the refs, who deserve your respect. As do your teachers and your coaches and your parents or guardians.

But do keep that energy. You’re not going to get what you want in life unless you advocate — agitate — for it. Put pressure on powers that be. Ask for explanations — demand them. Because it’s true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Being pushy works, even if it won’t win you popularity contests. The GMs left Doncic off their predictive MVP list for a reason. He finished fourth in MVP voting last season and has never been higher than third in his eight NBA seasons.

That’s largely a reflection of where the Lakers placed last season — fourth. And where they’re expected to finish this season; there are 12 teams with better odds to win the title, according to DraftKings.

But it probably has more to do with voters’ appetite for discussion, the type of heated debate that offends the sensibilities of so many — even though that mayhem is a crucial ingredient of Luka’s magic. Just sit back and relax. Enjoy the show.

The alleged incident happened in the final minute of the Group C match in Baku.

Immediately following the allegation, England head coach Matt Thorpe was seen on the match coverage on DAZN asking for the referee to come over, before calling his players off the pitch.

After an initial report from Thorpe, the referee told England’s coaching staff, “I cannot hear”.

One of Thorpe’s assistant coaches can then be heard telling the referee “we are reporting racism”, before adding “we do not want to play”.

When another official came over, talking about what would happen after the match, the assistant told him: “No, our players do not want to play”.

He was later heard saying that a player was “upset”.

Heated words were then exchanged between each set of coaching staff, with both saying they were trying to protect their players.

This is the first time the U15 World Cup and Festival has been played, and involves 189 countries and territories.

Matches are played in an eight-a-side format, on smaller pitches, with 20-minute halves.

England are scheduled to play their next match against Zimbabwe at 20:45 local time (16:45 GMT) on Monday, with Republic of Ireland facing Cambodia at the same time.

England duo Zoe Harrison and Megan Jones are among four nominees for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award.

They are nominated alongside Canada’s DaLeaka Menin and New Zealand’s Kaipo Olsen-Baker for the award, which recognises exceptional performances during the 2026 season.

Fly-half Harrison, 28, scored 88 points from the tee for England this year while Red Roses captain Jones, 30, is nominated for a second year in a row – missing out to Canada’s Sophie de Goede in 2025.

The World Cup-winning pair played important roles in England claiming their eighth successive Women’s Six Nations title in May, part of a 41-match unbeaten run ended by back-to-back defeats by Canada this month.

The winner will be announced following this weekend’s final WXV Global Series matches, with England facing the United States on Friday (21:15 GMT).

Elsewhere, England’s Abi Burton has been shortlisted for Women’s 15s Try of the Year for her try against Australia in the WXV Global Series in September.

In retrospect, conventional wisdom might not be all that wise. Just check out this postseason.

The Atlanta Braves should have started Chris Sale in Game 2 of the division series against the Dodgers. They didn’t. They won.

The Braves then had an edge with Sale starting Game 3. They didn’t. They lost that game, and they were eliminated in the next game.

The Milwaukee Brewers should have considered trading rookie pitcher Logan Henderson in a package for Tarik Skubal, a win-now proposition for a team that has dominated the regular season but had not appeared in the World Series in 44 years. They didn’t. Skubal and the Dodgers missed the World Series, and Henderson started Game 2 for the Brewers on Saturday, helping them move within two victories from their first championship.

That brings us to Freddy Peralta, who starts Game 3 for the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Peralta was one of the top pitchers in the majors for the Brewers last year, and he has been one of the top pitchers in the majors since the Rays acquired him from the New York Mets three months ago, but in between he performed so poorly for the Mets that he cannot really explain why.

“Sometimes I ask the same question myself,” Peralta said.

So poorly that, when the league’s website ranked the most impactful trades at the deadline, the Peralta deal did not make the top 10, behind trades for six other starting pitchers: Skubal, Casey Mize and Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes to the Chicago Cubs, and Jose Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Conventional wisdom? No big deal.

For the Mets, Peralta put up a 4.99 ERA and a negative WAR. For the Rays, he put up an 0.79 ERA in his last six starts of the regular season and a 1.07 ERA so far in the postseason, honored as American League Championship Series MVP.

“I feel like he’s kind of come back to being Freddy Peralta with us,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 earned-run average for Milwaukee last year, leading the National League in victories and posting 5.5 WAR, third behind Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

If you wonder why the Brewers would trade Peralta, well, you don’t know the Brewers.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta throws against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS on Oct. 19.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

Peralta was approaching free agency, and the Brewers routinely trade All-Star pitchers like that for prospects: Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams.

This is how the Brewers restock: The Burnes trade brought two pieces of this World Series team, pitcher DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz. The Hader trade brought Game 3 starter Robert Gasser and journeyman outfielder Estuery Ruiz, and within a subsequent three-team trade, the Brewers swiped All-Star catcher William Contreras for Ruiz.

The Mets wanted Peralta for what they considered an inevitable playoff run, with the largest Opening Day payroll of any major league team, the Dodgers included. The Mets finished in last place, and Peralta’s ERA exceeded 6.00 in each of the two months preceding the trade deadline.

“I was feeling bad,” Peralta said, “because I couldn’t do anything.”

The adjustments the Mets asked him to make, he said, were “a little different” than the ones that reversed the course of his season with the Rays.

The Rays let him pitch from the stretch, as he had in Milwaukee. They modified his delivery, including having him start it from the third-base side of the pitching rubber. His fastball got faster: 94 mph with the Mets, hitting 97 mph in the playoffs.

“We see that he’s in his element, man,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s Fastball Freddy.”

In Milwaukee, it’s all love for Peralta. The fans even cheered his bullpen session there before Game 1.

He’ll start Game 3 in Tampa Bay and, after that, who knows, but he would be lined up to start a potential Game 7 in Milwaukee.

“I know how special it is to pitch on this mound here in Milwaukee,” Peralta said. “I would like to pitch here during the postseason.”

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta celebrates during Game 2 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Oct. 13.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

He would have liked to pitch in New York during the postseason too.

“They had a lot of big expectations for me, the fans too, in New York,” he said. “They were waiting for something great from me.”

Conventional wisdom can boomerang. The conventional wisdom on Peralta’s free agency in the spring: he should make more in free agency than any pitcher besides Skubal; in the summer: this is a bad year to take into free agency; in the fall: he should make more in free agency than any pitcher besides Skubal.

But, given what happened in New York, what were the realistic expectations in Tampa Bay?

“I was able to go to a new team that probably needed me for …” Peralta said, his voice trailing off.

The World Series?

Peralta beamed.

“Crazy,” he said. “For the World Series, yeah.”

Jake Jarman becomes the first British male gymnast to win two individual medals in the World Gymnastics Championships, after winning silver in a thrilling men’s vault final in Rotterdam.

WATCH MORE: Gymnastics World Championships BBC iPlayer

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Moscow will host the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships – the first time an Olympic federation has chosen to stage a global event in Russia since the country’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced its decision on Sunday, four months after confirming Russian athletes would again be eligible to compete in its events.

In July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally lifted a suspension on the Russian Olympic Committee.

That suspension had been imposed following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The IOC’s subsequent decision potentially opened the way for Russian athletes to compete for their country at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The IWF announced the host cities of four world championships at junior, youth and senior levels, awarding the 2029 senior event to Ahmedabad in India.

“All the bids we received were excellent and we are sure that the championships in your respective countries will be a huge success,” said IWF general secretary Jose Quinones.

No world championships in an Olympic sport, summer or winter, have been held in Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships, initially awarded to the Russian city of Kazan, were instead moved to Singapore.

Moscow has not held the World Weightlifting Championships since 1983.

The Russian Weightlifting Federation said: “[We are] the first Olympic sports federation to succeed in bringing a top-level official competition back to the country in many years.”

Federation president Aleksandr Vinokurov thanked the IWF in a post on Telegram “for their trust”, with the championships also serving as a qualifying event for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia.

“Russia has all the necessary experience and capabilities to host competitions of the highest level,” he said.

“Moscow has repeatedly staged major international sporting events and has modern infrastructure.”

In announcing its decision in July to provisionally lift Russia’s suspension, the IOC said that no decision had been taken on whether Russia could display their flag, colours and anthem at the Olympic ‌Games.

The IOC said it would continue to “not organise IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events”.

Some Russian athletes competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan as neutrals.

Ukraine filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) requesting that the IOC decision to lift its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee be annulled.

The IOC’s move decision came after the International Paralympic Committee had already ended Russia’s exile from global sports events, with the country’s athletes allowed to compete under their national flag at the Winter Paralympics.

Five Ukrainian athletes are listed to compete in the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, China, which are scheduled to take place from 27 October to 8 November.

The victory helped the Kazakh take a big step towards securing the year-end number one ranking.

Elena Rybakina blazed past unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-2 6-2 in the Ningbo Open final to retain her title and lift her first trophy as the world number one ahead of the WTA Finals next month.

The victory on Sunday also helped the Kazakh take a big step towards securing the year-end number one ranking, further burnishing a spectacular season in which she won the Australian Open title before adding the US Open crown to reach the summit.

Top seed Rybakina made the breakthrough with her trademark power in the fifth game and then unleashed a searing crosscourt backhand winner to go 4-2 up, before the 27-year-old wrapped up the opening set in only 38 minutes.

World number 30 Fernandez made a bright start to the next set but Rybakina absorbed the pressure and raised her level to force an error and break for 2-1, with the three-time Grand Slam champion breezing to victory from there.

Rybakina’s latest triumph is a timely lift after setbacks in Beijing and Wuhan, as she turns her attention to the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo this week before launching her title defence at the season finale in Indian Wells from November 8.

England have won the Cerebral Palsy World Cup for the first time by beating the United States 2-1 in a thrilling final.

The hosts took the lead in Atlanta from a corner with three minutes left but Sam Dewhirst equalised to take the tie to extra time.

And the Para Lions won it when David Porcher fired home after Dewhirst’s shot was saved.

England cerebral palsy head coach Jack Rutter said the win was historic for the sport.

“It feels unbelievable,” he said.

“The amount of sacrifice these players and staff have put in to achieve this goal is incredible.

“We were coming here with hope of maybe winning a medal and I can’t believe we actually won the World Cup for the first time.

“I’m very, very proud of all the staff and all the players.”

The win comes after England’s powerchair squad were beaten by France in their World Cup final on Friday., external

Australia edged to a 36-22 victory in a pulsating match against Fiji to book their place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.

Having lost their previous five meetings against Australia by an aggregate score of 246-16, a stunned Brisbane crowd watched Fiji enjoy territorial advantage in the first half and take a 16-12 lead after the break.

However, the momentum switched back to Kevin Walters’ side in a crucial 60-second spell.

Solomone Saukuru raced in to seemingly put Fiji 20-12 ahead – but when it was ruled out for obstruction, Australia immediately went up the other end and Tom Trbojevic scored to bring the teams level.

Trbojevic, who looked vulnerable in defence, crossed twice more for Australia and Jacob Preston added a further try after Semi Valemei had completed his hat-trick for Fiji.

“There are definitely some areas to improve on,” Trbojevic told Premier Sports. “We didn’t start as we wanted to and couldn’t get a flow. We just needed to play our style of footy.

“We weren’t at our best but we came away with two points. We need to improve. We’ve got to enjoy a win but we’ve got to be our harshest critics too.”

Brisbane Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs had opened the scoring for Australia on his home ground, while Sam Walker capped his debut with a try and 12 points with the boot.

But the manner in which their pack were outmuscled – and in which they allowed Taane Milne and Valemei to score – will be a concern for Walters, whose team head into the last four despite delivering two unconvincing performances in beating New Zealand and Fiji.

New Zealand will take on Fiji in a make-or-break final pool game on Saturday, 31 October (04:30 GMT), having overcome an early scare themselves in their 82-16 victory over the Cook Islands in Christchurch.

WASHINGTON — In September, just weeks before Americans were set to vote in this year’s midterm elections, a sudden panic over the dangers posed by artificial intelligence caught the White House off guard. A whistleblower had gained viral attention warning the technology could soon pose an existential threat.

President Trump was quick to dismiss concerns, evoking urgency in the U.S. race to achieve global dominance in superintelligence. He rejected calls to negotiate guardrails on the most advanced AI models with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, weeks later, during a prime opportunity to do so in Washington.

Privately, the president expressed concern that public hysteria over AI could jolt markets that have become excessively concentrated in AI-related stocks. He had already seen fresh polling that showed widespread bipartisan opposition to the boom in construction of AI data centers, a push by Trump that has cannibalized chips and energy from other sectors of the economy, driving up costs.

Now, on the campaign trail in the final days before the vote, Trump is vowing to expand a “golden age” of prosperity through the end of his presidency. But experts say his policies on AI have set the U.S. economy up for a period of tremendous risk over the next two years.

Some of the world’s leading financiers are sounding increasingly alarmed about an AI bubble. Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, has warned that AI stocks have become detached from financial fundamentals, pushing markets to precarious highs. Ken Griffin, the world’s richest hedge fund owner, said last week that AI is “almost certainly” fueling a market bubble that could be on the verge of a burst.

Economists warn that Trump has overseen fiscal policy that would give the federal government fewer tools than it has had in the past to respond to a crisis.

“Trump could easily run into a financial crisis before his term is up,” said Kenneth Rogoff, an economist at Harvard. “It is entirely plausible to have a 30% — or more — drop in the stock market, and in the context of an economy so dependent on AI, this in turn could easily lead to a recession and widespread financial distress.”

Spending on data center infrastructure last winter and spring accounted for nearly all U.S. economic growth, according to independent analyses. Without it, growth would have slowed to a mere fraction of a percentage point, leaving the economy nearly stagnant and flirting with recession.

The Nasdaq 100 has about 70% of its index weight in companies that depend on AI, from semiconductor manufacturers and Big Tech giants to cloud platforms and software providers. Anthropic, one of the top AI industry leaders, plans an initial public offering next month, while its chief rival, OpenAI, expects to go public next year.

From left, Chris Painter, president of the Model Evaluation and Threat Research, Marius Hobbhahn, CEO of Apollo Research, Paul Ohm, professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, Kurt Gaudette, senior vice president of Dragos, and Daniel Kokotajlo, executive director of the AI Futures Project, are sworn in to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census hearing titled “Rogue AI: Securing the Homeland Against AI Agent Attacks,” in Dirksen Senate Office Building on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Because government finances are already strained, with the national debt on a patently unsustainable trajectory, there is no guarantee of a sharp drop in long-term borrowing rates for the government,” Rogoff continued. “So the options for bailing out the financial sector, or fighting recession, could be much more constrained than during the global financial crisis.”

While doubling down on the promise of an untested, frontier technology, Trump’s other economic policies may be hobbling its growth. Tariffs have raised the costs of imported chips, servers, networking equipment, metals and electrical components, and visa restrictions have tied the hands of industry leaders trying to secure the world’s best talent. Runaway federal deficits have driven long-term bond interest rates, adding pressure on AI firms already strapped with debt.

Servaas Storm, an economist closely following the AI sector at the Delft University of Technology, said the industry is already facing severe financial headwinds that could precipitate a panic.

Prices for energy, chips and minerals are driving up the cost of doing business, while early AI adopters such as Microsoft, Meta and Walmart are scaling back its use as employees spend too much time correcting errors, cleaning up low-quality output and addressing security lapses.

Slower adoption could further complicate the search for revenue, particularly for companies already struggling to monetize the technology. For now, hyperscalers are shouldering the cost of financing frontier AI labs that, as Storm put it, “do not have a credible path to profitability.”

“There is indeed an AI bubble in the stock market and in data center construction, which could pop rather soon, as rising debt loads and elevated interest rates could prove too much to sustain it,” Storm said. “That moment is not imminent, but it is approaching — and it will very likely happen before the end of Trump’s presidency.”

An economy already under duress from Trump’s other economic policies — from tariffs and tax cuts to the Iran war — could precipitate further pain, said Darrell Duffie, a finance professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Leading AI companies are already running “day-after” drills in anticipation of an AI-related crisis within the next year, according to Axios.

Americans head into election day deeply pessimistic about the economy, with 77% rating it fair or poor, according to a Fox News poll. A separate CNBC survey found that just 34% approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 35% of Republicans disapprove — a record high within his own party.

Inflation has fallen sharply from its 9% peak in 2022, during a pandemic-era surge, reaching 2.9% by the end of Biden’s presidency. Under Trump, it has climbed once again to 3.7%, driven by rising energy, transportation and housing costs — among the top concerns for voters entering next month’s vote.

Persistent inflation has forced the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates elevated, squeezing borrowers. And those rates — paired with high government spending and concerns over mounting deficits — have pressured the bond market, pushing 10-year Treasury yields to levels not seen since the early 2000s.

“Financial crises, by their nature, are virtually impossible to predict,” Duffie said, asked whether he shared concerns of a potential AI bubble.

“If we know we are going to be in a crisis soon,” he added, “markets advance the crisis to now.”