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Max Verstappen has drawn a line under speculation about his future He has confirmed that he will remain with Red Bull for next season. Author | Sophie T Despite being contracted until 2028, the four-time world champion had attracted interest from Mercedes and was believed to be weighing up his options.  Verstappen recently spoke with the media at Hungarian Grand Prix , saying: "I've never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about how we can improve our performance, future ideas for next year as well. And that's why I have nothing really to add ever." He later added: "I think it's time to basically stop all the rumours. And for me, it's always been quite clear that I was staying anyway." His decision leaves Mercedes’ driver line-up unchanged, with George Russell and rising talent Kimi Antonelli set to continue into 2026. Russell, who had anticipated Verstappen’s decision , said he felt no urgency t...

News | Super League votes to expand to 14 clubs from 2026 season Super League will return to a 14-team competition after its current 12 clubs voted in favour of expansion from next season. Author | Liam C Wigan fans celebrate against Huddersfield The change will be overseen through a combination of the existing club grading system and a newly formed independent panel, chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine . Caine was recently appointed to the RFL board and will also lead its strategic review sub-committee. The league confirmed that the top 12 sides under the grading criteria at the end of the 2025 campaign will be joined by two clubs recommended by the panel, provided their applications meet the required standards. It marks the first time since 2014 that the top flight will feature 14 teams, having reverted to 12 in 2015. Constant evolution or too much tinkering? KCOM Stadium | Home of Hull FC Since the reduction, Super League has filled its fixture calendar through a loop syste...

India 358 & 425-4 | England 669  India produced a remarkable display of defiance to earn a draw against England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford Author | Liam C Stadium | Old Trafford Cricket Ground After more than five sessions of resolute batting, the tourists closed on 425 for 4 in their second innings. With a lead of 114 and just 10 overs left in the match, both sides agreed to shake hands, concluding a gripping five days of play. England threw everything into the final day but were ultimately undone by India's composure, a docile pitch offering only occasional assistance, and a costly dropped catch by Joe Root. Ben Stokes, once again, carried the weight of England’s hopes. Despite not bowling the previous day, the captain pushed through physical discomfort to deliver two demanding spells. He struck early, trapping KL Rahul lbw for 90. READ MORE |  Third Test England seal 22-run win over India Jofra Archer gave England another breakthrough when he had Shubma...

An historic win for the British and Irish Lions against Australia  Hugo Keenan’s last-gasp try secured a dramatic series win for the British and Irish Lions in a pulsating Test match against Australia in Melbourne. Author |  Peter Grainger In front of a crowd of more than 90,000 people, the tension was relentless throughout a contest destined to be remembered as one of the greats. Even Keenan ’s decisive score was followed by an agonising wait for the television match official’s verdict. Jac Morgan ’s intervention at the breakdown was ruled legal and the try stood, sparking wild celebrations. Remarkably, the Lions had trailed 23-5 after a breathless opening spell dominated by a ferocious Australian side led by Rob Valetini and Will Skelton . The hosts ran riot, with James Slipper , Jake Gordon and Tom Wright all crossing in a frenetic first half, while Tom Lynagh added early penalties. Gordon and Wright struck while Tommy Freeman was in the bin, as the Lions appeared...

Oasis are well and truly back on top. Sunday 20th July, saw them performing for the final night at Heaton Park, and what could still be the very last time in Manchester. Author | Ajay Every night, there had been countless moments that highlighted how uniting this cultural phenomenon was. There had been so many memorable moments! The man in the wheelchair hoisted high above the crowd by a group of strangers for a better view.  The couple who got engaged moments before being swept into a sea of bucket hats.  The nightly crowds gathering on ‘ Gallagher Hill ’, drawn by the pull of something historic in the air. People singing Champagne Supernova outside the park and in The Ostrich Pub beer garden. Lots of celebrity spotting. Jack Grealish , Shaun Ryder and Andy Whyment off Corrie in the same frame of a video. Who can forget Orlando Bloom waving at fans. For many, the Oasis reunion has felt like Christmas morning ever since it was announced last year. That sense of anti...

An important win for Castleford on a bad day for Warrington Warrington Wolves' Super League play-off hopes were dealt a significant blow as they slipped to defeat against Castleford Tigers Author | Amy W Sam Stone’s early try gave the visitors a promising start, but Castleford responded with two quickfire scores. Daejarn Asi muscled his way over the line after brushing off several weak tackles, before George Lawler capitalised on a fumble from Lachlan Fitzgibbon to give the Tigers a 12-6 lead. Jake Thewlis crossed for Warrington just before the break, reducing the deficit to two points at half-time. However, the hosts extended their lead through a Chris Atkin penalty and a try from Josh Simm, who finished off a sweeping counter-attack after Marc Sneyd lost possession in the middle of the park. There was late drama when Stefan Ratchford touched down from a George Williams grubber, just after Alex Mellor had been shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Thewlis. Warrington appeal...

Hull KR back on track after win over Catalans Mikey Lewis returned to orchestrate a commanding Hull KR performance in the south of France, ending the Super League leaders’ two-game losing run with a convincing win at Catalans Dragons. Author | Oliver W The reigning Man of Steel , absent in recent defeats due to a head injury, scored twice and laid on another for Jack Broadbent as the Robins extended their lead at the top of the table to four points. That cushion was made possible by a surprise defeat for second-placed Wigan earlier on Saturday. Lewis had been sorely missed in losses to Leeds and Leigh, but it was not just his presence that proved decisive here. Hull KR also tightened up defensively, having conceded more points in those two defeats than in the previous seven matches combined. Against a faltering Catalans side, that resolve was rarely tested. Joe Burgess added a brace and Broadbent crossed twice as well, with Romain Navarrete providing a solitary reply for the hos...

England win by 22 runs and lead series 2-1 England 387 (Root 104, Carse 56, Smith 51; Bumrah 5-74) & 192 (Root 40; Sundar 4-22) India 387 (Rahul 100, Pant 74, Jadeja 72; Woakes 3-84) & 170 (Jadeja 61*; Stokes 3-48, Archer 3-55) Author |  Peter Grainger Ben Stokes once again proved England’s heartbeat as they edged a gripping third Test at Lord’s , beating India by 22 runs on a nerve-shredding final day. The England captain delivered a tireless spell with the ball, taking three wickets as India were bowled out for 170 in their pursuit of 193. What had looked a straightforward finish unravelled into a tense stand-off, with Ravindra Jadeja leading a defiant rearguard. India had collapsed to 112 for eight when Jadeja was joined by Jasprit Bumrah . The pair held firm for almost 22 overs in a gritty partnership worth 35 runs, with Bumrah scoring just five from 54 balls. Eventually, Stokes lured him into a mistimed pull that was safely taken at mid-on. Even then, Jadeja was un...

Fluminense will be the only non European team remaining in the competition They edged a breathless encounter with Al Hilal to book their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals, where they will face Chelsea at MetLife Stadium Author | Peter Grainger The match burst into life just before half-time. Martinelli smartly cushioned Gabriel Fuentes’ cut-back into his stride and rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.  Fabio then produced a fine save to deny Kalidou Koulibaly, before referee Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot after Marcos Leonardo went down in the area. A VAR review, however, showed no foul by Samuel Xavier and the decision was overturned. Marcos Leonardo had his moment soon after the restart. Koulibaly’s header from a corner ricocheted off him, and with Fabio already committed the wrong way, the Brazilian reacted quickly to hook the ball into the net. READ MORE |  Latest Club World Cup news READ MORE |  PSG's memorable season continues WATCH | ...

They held off a spirited Hull FC to grind out a hard-earned victory at the MKM Stadium. Author | Jamie P Two tries from Australian winger Kyle Feldt, along with a pair of conversions and a drop goal from skipper Jonny Lomax, secured a sixth win in seven games for the in-form Saints. Hull briefly threatened a second-half fightback when centre Davy Litten dived over, but they remain without a home win this season. The result lifts St Helens above Leeds Rhinos into fourth place, while Hull drop to seventh following Wakefield’s emphatic win over Catalans Dragons at Belle Vue. A closer look at what happened Feldt’s double proved decisive, but Saints were made to work for the points. Early on, Curtis Sironen’s break created an overlap down the left, only for Harvey Barron and Zak Hardaker to scramble back and deny the visitors. Moments later, with Hull penalised for offside, Saints capitalised. Feldt danced past Aidan Sezer to cross for the opening try, with Lomax adding a fine conversi...

A memorable night in Cardiff After their heyday in the 1990s and a post-millennium period often written off as creatively stagnant, this is Oasis repackaged for the 21st century. Author | Josh T Few bands have benefited more from the rise of streaming. Curated playlists trim the fat from the discography (and in Oasis's later years, there was plenty of it) while streaming strips away context, distancing the music from the accompanying baggage of critical scorn and tabloid drama.  The much-discussed Oasis fans that are too young to remember the band first-hand are real enough (you can see them dotted throughout the crowd ) and many of them are loving it.  This show leans into a convenient myth that Oasis essentially went on hiatus in 1998. It’s a setlist that resembles a greatest hits playlist, heavy on the early albums and B-sides from the years when Noel Gallagher’s songwriting was so prolific he could casually relegate songs as strong as Acquiesce or The Masterplan to CD s...

Terrible news today Football is united in grief following the tragic deaths of Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother André Silva, who was also a professional footballer. Diogo Jota, aged 28, represented Portugal on 49 occasions, scoring 14 goals for the senior national side. He was part of the squad that lifted the UEFA Nations League title in both 2019 and 2025, and also played at Under-19 and Under-21 level. Only last season, he celebrated winning the Premier League title with Liverpool. His brother André, 25, played as a forward for Portuguese second division side Penafiel, having joined from Paços de Ferreira in 2023 after progressing through the youth ranks at FC Porto. Born and raised in the Porto suburb of Gondomar, Jota began his career with his hometown club Gondomar SC before moving to Paços de Ferreira in 2014. Two impressive seasons earned him a transfer to Atlético de Madrid in 2016, followed by a loan spell at Porto, where he quickly built ...

Shed Seven took to Woodsies to take everyone back to the mid 90s The band last played here in 1995, the same year Oasis, Pulp and Elastica were riding high. They may have missed out on the very top rung when Britpop ruled the charts, but they have proved impressively resilient.  Author |  Josh T They have recently landed two number-one albums with A Matter Of Time and Liquid Gold. Frontman Rick Witter, still wiry and full of swagger in a sheer black glittery top, summed it up with a knowing smile. “It appears we have become big time charlies,” he joked to the crowd. These days, Shed Seven are much more than an indie band. Five backing vocalists and a three-piece horn section add weight to their sound. There are hints of Oasis throughout, helped by guitarist Paul Banks, who manages to channel both Noel and Liam Gallagher at once. But there is also the unmistakable influence of an earlier Manchester band.  Songs like Chasing Rainbows, On Standby and Speakeasy, the latter ...

One of the first bands to perform at Glastonbury 2025 was Supergrass The band emerged on Friday in front of a backdrop featuring the artwork from their debut album I Should Coco, showing the original trio Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey as snarling, snot-nosed, monobrowed youths.  Author | Josh T It is hard to ignore the gulf between those scrappy caricatures and the salt and pepper-haired gents now standing on the Pyramid Stage. Coombes, looking sharp in a blazer and newsboy cap, is ageing with particular ease. And as they tear into the opening one-two of I’d Like to Know and Caught by the Fuzz, it is clear that some of that youthful snarl still lingers. The band are on the road celebrating the 30th anniversary of Coco and Friday’s set, exactly three decades since their Glastonbury debut, sees much of the album performed in chronological order. There are positives to that.  READ MORE |  Glastonbury 2025 READ MORE |  Gig Review Supergrass at Camden Round...