SuperNewsAffiliate

Lionel Messi will appear at a sixth World Cup after being named in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 tournament The holders will be wanting o defend the title they won in Qatar four years ago. Author | Jack L The forward, who turns 39 during the competition, captains Lionel Scaloni’s 26-man squad after inspiring Argentina to a third world title with their dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in 2022. Messi already holds the record for the most World Cup appearances by any player with 26 matches, and will join Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, as the only men to feature in six editions of the tournament. A closer look at Argentina’s squad Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who won the Golden Glove in Qatar, has also been selected, alongside Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez and Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, despite the latter missing the closing stages of the Premier League campaign through a knee injury. Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea’s ...

An impressive performance from the away side here New head coach John Cartwright watched Catalans Dragons run in six tries as they secured victory against York Knights. Author | Ben A Stadium | York Community Stadium Catalans winger Matty Russell marked his debut with a try in a subdued first half that gave little indication of the points surge that followed after the interval. Watch | Highlights from Catalans YouTube account  There were four tries inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half, with the visitors claiming three of them to open up a 24-6 advantage. Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Solomona Faataape and Toby Sexton all crossed during that spell for the Dragons, before Ugo Tison and Charlie Staines added further tries later in the half. York stayed within reach through a Denive Balmforth double, along with tries from Will Roberts and David Nofoaluma, but Staines' late score ended any remaining hopes of a Knights comeback. Catalans Dragons interim coach Ryan Sheridan told t...

Some interesting decisions from Thomas Tuchel Let's explore who's going to travelling to North America with the manager and who's going to be watching as a fan Author | Georgie B The main headlines came from from the fact that Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold will all not be playing a part in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad. Watch | The squad was announced with this video across social media platforms Harry Maguire has also not been included Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has also been left out, with the 33-year-old saying he is "shocked and gutted" at the decision. In a post on Instagram, he confirmed: "I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I've had. I've been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best." Maguire has also been a threat from an attacking sense this season and scored a dramatic winner for United against Liverpool at Anf...

One last opportunity for Neymar to win the World Cup  The forward has been included in head coach Carlo Ancelotti's 26-man squad for this summer's World Cup. Author | Jack L The 34-year-old, who now plays for Brazilian side Santos, is Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances. However, he has not featured for the Selecao since 2023 because of a series of injury problems. His inclusion means he is set to appear at a fourth World Cup, having previously represented Brazil at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Italian coach Ancelotti unveiled his squad during a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, with supporters cheering when Neymar's name was read out. Ancelotti, 66, who was appointed by Brazil last year, said: "We spent the entire year analysing Neymar. "We realised that in this last period he had consistency and was in good physical condition."

This month sees Neighbourhood Weekender return to Warrington for the start of the festival season. The event features three stages and the familiar challenge of studying the clash finder and deciding which acts take priority Author | Josh T The festival has become a defining fixture of the northern festival calendar. Over the years, it has become know for its raucous yet family-friendly celebration of British music. Let's explore which bands and acts you should watch ahead of this year's fun and games. The place for the indie rockers As always, the Main Stage will shine the spotlight on the big names and repeat offenders. No one can really be a stranger to the main headliners, Richard Ashcroft and Blossoms (new album imminent, so maybe a new tune or two), and to a chance to admire Tom Ogden’s latest fashions.  Both Richard and Cast continue to trade well off the oasis support slots of last Summer. The Royston Club will be stopping off as part of their touring schedule, and we’v...

The first in a series of articles where our writers explore who might win the World Cup First up, we exmaine the chances of the 2010 winners Spain Author | Jack L Among fans around the world, Spain remain the favourites to win the tournament. There have been a few concerns, most notably the hamstring injury suffered by teenage winger Lamine Yamal, the player many are most eager to see. While the Barcelona star is expected to recover in time to be included in Spain’s squad, any setback could leave them facing a difficult campaign. Spain still possess an abundance of quality and should be capable of easing their way through the World Cup, particularly with a kinder group than some of their rivals. Watch | Spain in qualifying action | Footage from GOALTIME on YouTube  Despite that easy group and some fantastic performances in qualifying, nothing is taken for granted at this level, and shocks remain part of the enduring appeal and mystique of the competition. Can the European champions...

A career in sport but your dreams of going pro are over? Keep reading... Are you drawn to both sport and science and wondering how the two might come together as a career path? Author |  Sophie T Disclaimer | This is a purely exploratory article. You should speak to a careers advisor if struggling to make a decision around your next step Many students are now considering their next steps with the college and sixth form courses coming to an end. Some of those will have already completed their UCAS application and will now be thinking about which of their potential five choices to enrol at. Your average physio room One of the most popular career paths is... Sports science has grown rapidly in recent years, with professionals in the field earning on average around £30,000 a year in the UK. Beyond the salary, the subject opens doors to a variety of roles in coaching, education, health and performance. A degree in the discipline is designed to provide the knowledge and practical skills...

A wonderful evening We recently saw Olivia Dean deliver an almost spellbinding performance at Co-op Live in Manchester Author |  Peter Jones Entering Co-op Live to a sea of polka dots, gleaming smiles and the gentle hum of “Man I Need”, there was a buoyant sense of anticipation drifting through Manchester on a warm Sunday evening. It marked the second and final night of Olivia Dean’s sold-out run at the UK’s largest indoor arena.  The scale of the occasion felt all the more striking given that, just three years ago, she was performing at the Manchester Academy 3, a venue with a capacity of fewer than 500. Her rise since has been both swift and assured, underpinned by a clarity of voice and artistic identity that now places her among the most compelling figures in British music. Before Dean took to the stage on her first arena tour, support came from Jalen Ngonda This was a set of understated warmth and richness. The American, now based in England, drew from Motown, classi...

A new era for England Rugby League Brian McDermott will lead his country into this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup after being appointed head coach Author | Michael Haldsworth The 56-year-old enjoyed a decorated spell with Leeds Rhinos, winning four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, the World Club Challenge and the League Leaders’ Shield across eight seasons. He succeeds Shaun Wane, who stepped down in January. McDermott, currently part of the coaching staff at Gold Coast Titans, will take on the England role on a part-time basis, unlike his predecessor who worked full-time. The Rugby Football League selected the Yorkshireman from a five-man shortlist that included Brad Arthur, Sam Burgess, Paul Rowley and former England coach Steve McNamara. Best reaction In a statement, McDermott said: "I'm incredibly proud to take on the role of England head coach ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup." He added: "My focus now is on creating an environment where pl...

Two of the best gigs that I’ve been to in a while Belle and Sebastian celebrate the thirtieth anniversaries of Tigermilk and If You’re Feeling Sinister with two shows in Manchester. Author |  Peter Jones A decade ago, they took over London’s Royal Albert Hall for two nights, playing the albums in full to mark their twentieth anniversaries. The second show landed on the day of the Brexit referendum.  Ten years on, Britain’s place in the world may have slipped, but Belle & Sebastian haven’t. Still indie royalty with a loyal global following, they’ve revived that 2016 one-off concept for a wider run, hitting multiple continents with two-night stands in each city to cover both records.  After wrapping up a European leg and returning to the Royal Albert Hall earlier this week, they head back to Manchester’s own grand stage for a nostalgia-tinged celebration of the glory days. The frontman is in particularly excitable form View this post on Instagram ...

England secured a significant victory over Spain  This means they have seized early control of their 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying group. Author | George B Stadium | Wembley Stadium In a meeting that echoed both the Euro 2025 final and the 2023 World Cup decider, two of Europe’s leading sides went head to head for top spot in Group 3. Lauren Hemp set the tone inside three minutes at Wembley, poking home from close range to hand Sarina Wiegman’s side an ideal start. The Manchester City Women winger nearly doubled her tally soon after when a clever backheel from Lucy Bronze created space in the area, only for Hemp to slice her effort narrowly wide. England’s early breakthrough shaped a composed first-half display With the hosts defending with discipline and limiting Spain’s attacking threat. The reigning world champions dominated possession and threatened through Irene Paredes and Ona Batlle, but Hannah Hampton was rarely called into serious action. Watch | Highlights of the mat...

Rory McIlroy reinforced his standing among the modern greats He held off the world’s leading players to become only the fourth man to claim back-to-back Masters titles Author | Liam C His conviction that last year’s long-awaited Green Jacket would unlock further major success has proved well founded. Twelve months on from ending an 11-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam at Augusta National Golf Club, the 36-year-old returned with a sense of freedom he had long anticipated. Watch | How Rory McIlroy won the tournament. From the Masters YouTube channel He delivered on that promise at the earliest chance. A composed final-round 71 secured victory at 12 under par, leaving him a single shot clear of world number one Scottie Scheffler on another compelling Masters Sunday. Justin Rose was the challenger again Rory McIlroy once again denied Justin Rose, as the English veteran saw his long pursuit of a Masters title end in familiar frustration at Augusta National Golf Club.   Wa...

Tyson Fury marked his return to the heavyweight scene with a composed points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov This was before quickly turning his attention ringside to call out long-time rival Anthony Joshua. Author |  Olivia T Stadium | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium The 37-year-old Fury, back from his latest retirement after 15 months, was not quite at his fluent best but showed enough ring intelligence and technical assurance to outbox Makhmudov across 12 largely one-sided rounds. Fury had to remain alert at times, with Makhmudov landing the occasional overhand right, but the Russian proved largely one-dimensional as Fury secured a wide decision with scorecards of 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109.  This was his first fight since those successive defeats to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. Je now moves to 35 wins, two losses and one draw. Watch | Highlights of the fight from Netflix Sports Will we ever see Fury v Joshua then? Fury and Joshua, both two-time world cham...

History made in the NBA Bronny James combined with his father LeBron to make NBA history, producing the league’s first son-to-father assist as the LA Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 119-103. Author | Lee Francis The 19-year-old intercepted possession and quickly found LeBron, who surged the length of the court for an uncontested dunk, part of a 26-point display from the 41-year-old. It followed on from last month’s meeting with the Brooklyn Nets, where the pair had already recorded the first father-to-son assist in NBA history. LeBron also contributed 11 assists, while Bronny added 10 points and three assists as the Lakers proved too strong for their California rivals. The Lakers sit fourth in the NBA Eastern Conference, with the Warriors 10th, both having secured their places in the play-offs, which begin on 18 April. Elsewhere in NBA The New York Knicks edged past the Boston Celtics 112-106, with Josh Hart scoring 26 points to apply pressure in the NBA Western Conference st...

It was a historic night for one former Manchester United defender and his country The Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first World Cup appearance in 52 years as Axel Tuanzebe’s extra-time goal earned a 1-0 victory over Jamaica. Author | Olivia T Author | Guadalajara Stadium In the build-up to the match, Tuanzebe had described the occasion as the biggest of his career, and the former England youth international, born in Bunia, a city affected by ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo, has now etched his name into the country’s football history. Leopards striker Cédric Bakambu had two goals correctly ruled out for offside in normal time, and it felt fitting that such a finely balanced contest required an additional 30 minutes. It was Tuanzebe who ultimately made the difference, reacting quickest as Brian Cipenga’s inswinging corner flicked off Jamaica defender Joel Latibeaudiere and rebounded into the Burnley man in the 100th minute, with the ball bundled over the line via hi...

A dramatic announcement from Hull KR It's time for them to start planning for a future without the now iconic Willie Peters Author | Amy W Treble-winning head coach Peters will leave the reigning Super League champions at the end of the season to take up a role as the inaugural head coach of new National Rugby League side Papua New Guinea Chiefs. The 47-year-old, who took charge in 2022, remains under contract at Craven Park until 2028. The Chiefs are not due to enter the NRL until the 2028 campaign, but Peters is set to spend next year overseeing recruitment for the competition’s newest club, which will be based in Port Moresby. Hull KR currently hold all four major honours available to Super League clubs, having beaten Brisbane Broncos to claim the World Club Challenge in February. Watch | How Peters celebrated their Super League success at Old Trafford They ended a 40-year wait for a league title with victory over Wigan Warriors in last October’s Grand Final. That success fo...

Jamaica v Democratic Republic of Congo preview A potentially historic night awaits in the intercontinental qualification play-off final  Author | Josh T Football supporters in the Democratic Republic of Congo have spent decades waiting for a chance to make amends for their only appearance at a World Cup, which came back in 1974. It was a year marked by global upheaval and cultural milestones, as Richard Nixon stepped down over the Watergate scandal, the Rubik's Cube was created, and Muhammad Ali defeated George Foreman in the iconic Rumble in the Jungle, staged in Kinshasa. Does a special night await then? A victory for the Leopards against Jamaica in Tuesday’s intercontinental play-off final would bring that 52-year wait to an end and secure Africa a 10th place at this year’s World Cup, to be held across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Should DR Congo win, around q0p million people back home, as well as a massive global diaspora, will pray things go better than they did in...

What a sensational few weeks of Rugby Union France we're ultimately crowned Six Nations champions but there was a lot more going on Author | Stephen C Debate over whether the 2026 Six Nations Championship might rank among the greatest editions of the tournament had already begun before the final weekend. By the time round five arrived, the championship had delivered almost everything. Records had tumbled, shocks had arrived and several matches had turned into high-scoring classics. For it to truly claim a place among the finest, though, the tournament needed a fitting finale. France against England in Paris provided exactly that. With the final act of the championship, a penalty from Thomas Ramos drifted between the posts to secure a record eighth Six Nations title for that France side. Ireland, who had earlier defeated Scotland 43-21 on Saturday to claim the Triple Crown, saw hopes of celebrating the title in Dublin slip away in the tournament’s closing seconds. The gripping 4...

Scotland produced a ferocious response to their Six Nations loss in Italy They tore England apart in a bonus-point victory in a breathless Calcutta Cup encounter. Author | Sophie T Stadium | Murrayfield Conducted superbly by Finn Russell and driven by a sharp-edged ruthlessness, the hosts overwhelmed an England side that never recovered from a chaotic opening. The Scots looked transformed. After a testing week that followed defeat by Italy, and against opponents chasing a 13th consecutive win and a first success in Edinburgh since 2020, Gregor Townsend’s side surged into a stunning 17-0 lead inside the opening quarter. Russell set the tone with an early penalty before tries from Huw Jones, Jamie Ritchie and Ben White blew England off course. The visitors’ reply was limited to a converted Henry Arundell try and a George Ford penalty. Arundell endured a bruising afternoon. The winger was shown two yellow cards in the first half, leaving England to play 30 minutes with 14 men. Scotland ma...

New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks preview The NFL’s 2025 season has delivered one of the most open Super Bowl races in recent memory. Author |  Peter Jones New England Patriots prepare for the Super Bowl youtu.be/4UxGMpcPNmY?... [image or embed] — Super News Affiliate ( @supernews1.bsky.social ) 4 February 2026 at 20:36 Now only the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks remain, with the pair set to meet on Sunday to decide the league’s champions. It is a familiar prize for New England, who have lifted the Lombardi Trophy six times, yet this marks their first Super Bowl appearance since 2019 and the post Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era. A revitalised Patriots side has emerged from obscurity to reach Super Bowl 60 in California, securing a record-extending 12th appearance in the NFL’s showpiece occasion. Seattle, meanwhile, have reached the Super Bowl for a fourth time and for the first time since 2015, when they were denied back-to-back titles by the Patrio...

Luke Littler 7 - 1 Gian van Veen Luke Littler delivered a performance of authority to overwhelm Gian van Veen and retain the PDC World Championship title at Alexandra Palace. Author |  Amy W The 18 year old became only the fourth player to defend the crown, joining Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson in an exclusive club. It was a second triumph in just his third appearance on the sport’s biggest stage, underlining the pace at which Littler’s reputation continues to grow. Only Taylor, with 14 titles, and Michael van Gerwen, on three, now sit ahead of him in the list of PDC world champions. While Taylor’s record still appears distant, the quality of Littler’s display ensured that talk of how far he might go will only intensify. Van Veen was left chasing shadows  Littler maintained an average above 107 for long stretches, eventually finishing on 106.02. The Dutchman’s own near 100 average was impressive but proved nowhere near enough to stem the flow. With the ...