Football News
Football News
Our cartoonist looks back at the final game of the 2026 World Cup as Donald Trump watched Spain triumph againBuy David’s cartoons | Some of his favourite worksAnd his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...
Football News
The delayed 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations - also known as Wafcon - is finally ready for kick-off, with Morocco staging a third successive finals.Originally scheduled to be held from 17 March to 3 April, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) postponed the tournament just 12 days before it was due to start.This year's Wafcon, which comes only 12 months after the delayed 2024 edition, now begins on Sunday, 26 July when Algeria face Senegal in the opening game in Rabat (17:00 GMT).Caf cited "unforeseen circumstances" for the delay, but the late change has afforded more time for the newly expanded 16-team tournament, which will feature 34 matches and culminates in the final on Sunday, 16 August.This year's Wafcon is all the more important because it doubles up as a qualifier for the 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup, with all four semi-finalists securing a ticket for Brazil.The four losing quarter-finalists will play off for two spots at an intercontinental qualifier.So what are the key fixtures? What is the format? Where are matches being played and when do they kick off?BBC Sport Africa provides you with all the key information about the 14th edition of Africa's biggest women's football event.The 16 teams have been split into four groups of four.Hosts Morocco have a North African derby against rivals Algeria in Group A as well as games against Senegal and Kenya, who return 10 years after making their only previous appearance.Holders Nigeria, who are bidding for a record-extending 11th title after beating Morocco in last year's final, were placed in Group C alongside Zambia, the highest-ranked side in pot two in the draw, Egypt and debutants Malawi.South Africa, winners in 2022, take on Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania in Group B.In Group D, Ghana were paired with Cameroon and Mali - two sides who advanced to the finals on the strength of their world ranking - and the other first-timers taking part, Cape Verde.The top two teams in each group go into the quarter-finals.Group A: Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Senegal, Kenya.Group B: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania.Group C: Nigeria (holders), Zambia, Egypt, Malawi.Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde.The kick-off times will be at 17:00 GMT (18:00 BST) and 20:00 GMT (21:00 BST) throughout the tournament - with the exception of the final.Quarter-finals will take place on 8 and 9 August, with both semi-finals following on 12 August.The final will be on Sunday, 16 August at 19:00 GMT (20:00 BST).Morocco used six stadiums spread across five cities to stage the tournament last year, but this time around five grounds in two cities are being used.Games will be played in the capital Rabat and Casablanca, with Berkane, Mohammedia and Oujda discarded as venues.Fes was originally due to host Group D, but the matches scheduled to be held at the Complexe Sportif de Fes have been shifted to Casablanca instead.The three stadiums being used in Rabat also staged matches at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), with the North African nation carrying out several redevelopment projects as it prepares to co-host the 2030 Fifa World Cup.The Atlas Lionesses will play their games at the Moulay Hassan Stadium, which will also stage a quarter-final and a semi-final.The venue for the final is yet to be confirmed. It will either be the Moulay Hassan Stadium or the much larger Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, which hosted the Afcon final, with the latter likely to be chosen if Morocco progress to the final.Of the 16 nations taking part, only Nigeria and South Africa have previously lifted the Wafcon trophy.Nigeria's Super Falcons return to North Africa as both holders and the continent's top-ranked side, with a rich pedigree under homegrown coach Justin Madugu.Chiamaka Nnadozie has been named Africa's best goalkeeper for the past three years while captain Rasheedat Ajibade was named most valuable player at the finals last July.Morocco has invested heavily in footballing infrastructure in recent years but its women's side are yet to emulate the success of the country's men in becoming the top team in Africa.The Atlas Lionesses have been runners-up at the past two editions and have a Women's World Cup winner in the dugout in Jorge Vilda, who guided Spain to the title in 2023.South Africa, ranked second on the continent, still have the experienced Desiree Ellis in the dugout while Ghana, under Kim Bjorkegren, return fresh from their third-placed finish last July.Zambia round out the likely contenders, although the Copper Queens were demolished 5-0 by Nigeria in last year's quarter-finals. They will look to skipper Barbra Banda, the 2024 BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, for inspiration.It will be a big ask for any of the other sides to mount a serious challenge.Group A: Algeria v Senegal, Olympic Stadium, Rabat, (17:00 GMT)Group A: Morocco v Kenya, Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat, (20:00 GMT)Group B: South Africa v Tanzania, Moulay Rachid Stadium, Casablanca, (17:00 GMT)Group B: Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca, (20:00 GMT)Group C: Zambia v Egypt, Olympic Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Group C: Nigeria v Malawi, Al Medina Stadium, Rabat, (20:00 GMT)Group D: Ghana v Cape Verde, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Group D: Cameroon vs Mali, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group A: Senegal v Kenya, Olympic Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Group A: Morocco v Algeria, Moulay Hassan Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group B: South Africa v Ivory Coast, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Group B: Burkina Faso v Tanzania, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group C: Egypt v Malawi, Moulay Hassan Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Group C: Nigeria v Zambia, Al Medina Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group D: Ghana v Cameroon, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Group D: Mali v Cape Verde, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group A: Senegal v Morocco, Moulay Hassan Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group A: Kenya v Algeria, Olympic Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group B: Burkina Faso v South Africa, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group B: Tanzania v Ivory Coast, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group C: Egypt v Nigeria, Olympic Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group C: Malawi v Zambia, Al Medina Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group D: Mali v Ghana, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Group D: Cape Verde v Cameroon, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (20:00 GMT)QF 2: Winner Group B v Second Place Group A, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (17:00 GMT)QF 1: Winner Group A v Second Place Group B, Moulay Hassan Stadium, (20:00 GMT)QF 4: Winner Group D v Second Place Group C, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (17:00 GMT)QF 3: Winner Group C v Second Place Group D, Al Medina Stadium, (20:00 GMT)SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF3, Olympic Stadium, (17:00 GMT)SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4, Moulay Hassan Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Loser QF2 v Loser QF3, Larbi Zaouli Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Loser QF1 v Loser QF4, Moulay Rachid Stadium, (20:00 GMT)Loser SF1 v Loser SF2, Olympic Stadium, (17:00 GMT)Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, Moulay Hassan Stadium or Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, (19:00 GMT)
Football News
If you thought the 2026 tournament was sprawling, think again with six host countries over three continents getting involved in four years’ timeIf the 2026 World Cup was the tournament’s largest edition yet – featuring 48 teams for the first time in its 96-year history, being played in three different countries – the 2030 World Cup is going to have an even bigger footprint.Technically three. The tournament is set to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, marking the first time the World Cup will be held in more than one confederation and the first time it will visit north Africa.In addition, though, and in honour of the World Cup’s 100-year anniversary, a special match is scheduled to be held at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay – the stadium that hosted the 1930 World Cup final. There will also be one match each in Argentina and Paraguay.The bidding process for the 2030 World Cup began in earnest in 2022, with the host to be officially selected at the 2024 Fifa congress. The governing body’s rules for rotating the tournament between continents meant that football federations from Asia (AFC) and North America (Concacaf) were ineligible to host following the Qatar 2022 and North America 2026 bids respectively.In October 2023, the Fifa council unanimously selected the Morocco-Portugal-Spain bid over the South American bid.The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, announced that Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay would host one match each to celebrate the centenary of the World Cup “in the most appropriate way”. Uruguay hosted – and won – the tournament’s inaugural edition with Argentina beaten 4-2 in the final. A game will also be played in Paraguay in recognition of the country’s role as the home of Conmebol, the only confederation in existence in 1930.Initially the idea was for it to be 48 teams again, but during this World Cup Infantino raised to prospect of it being expanded with a further 16 nations.“That’s definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said. “When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America – but effectively the entire world.An expansion had already been suggested in 2025 when the Conmebol president, Alejandro Domínguez, put forth an official proposal to expand the number of participating teams to 64 in honour of the tournament’s centennial. “[It] will be unique because 100 years are celebrated only once,” Domínguez said.Spain last hosted the World Cup in 1982, the final of which involved Italy defeating West Germany in the Bernabéu. Co-hosts Portugal and Morocco have hosted various major sporting events, among them the 2004 Euros and the 2025 Afcon.The 2030 World Cup will take place across 17 host cities – one more than the 2026 edition – with 11 of the proposed 20 stadiums located in Spain. Among the 17 host cities are Marrakech and Tangier in Morocco, Porto and Lisbon in Portugal and Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastián in Spain.Without a doubt the inclusion of the centenary match hosts. By rejecting the South American host bid but declaring that Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay would host one match each Fifa ensured that Conmebol would be ineligible to bid for the 2034 World Cup with Asia and Oceania the only two continents able to host. (The 2034 edition has since been awarded to Saudi Arabia, a decision that has been heavily criticised by human rights groups).Well, who knows? After the shenanigans of Donald Trump’s intervention and Folarin Balogun’s red card being suspended, could we see the Spanish king, Felipe VI, get involved after an over-zealous Lamine Yamal tackle in the last 64? With these guys in charge, nothing is off the table.
Football News
BBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished41 minutes agoEverton have agreed a deal to sign Finland international striker Jutta Rantala from Leicester City.Leicester have said, external Rantala has a year remaining on her contract so Everton are expected to pay a fee to sign the 26-year-old.BBC Sport reported last week the clubs were in discussions having already conducted business together this summer.France forward Noemie Mouchon joined Everton from Leicester on a free transfer, while Wales international Hannah Cain also returned to Merseyside from the Foxes.Rantala has scored 13 goals in 48 appearances since joining Leicester from Swedish club Vittsjo GIK in 2023.She was Leicester’s player of the season and top goalscorer in 2023-24 but suffered a knee injury the following campaign.On the international scene, Rantala has scored 10 goals in 36 appearances and was part of the Finland squad at Euro 2025.She would be the sixth player to depart Leicester this summer after they were relegated from the Women’s Super League in June.Everton are looking to build on last season where they finished eighth in the WSL following the managerial departure of Brian Sorensen.Scott Phelan was named his permanent successor this summer and they have made four signings so far.
Football News
For the first since 2006, Wales' Principality Stadium will be the host for the Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City on Saturday, 16 August.Because of The Weeknd's 'After Hours til Dawn' tour taking place on the same day at Wembley Stadium, the annual Community Shield will take place away from London for the third time since it reopened in 2007.The Principality Stadium served as the venue for the Community Shield, FA Cup final and EFL Cup final between 2001-2007 while Wembley Stadium was demolished and rebuilt. Following its reopening, the new Wembley hosted its first FA Cup final in 2007.In 2012, Villa Park hosted the Community Shield between Manchester City and Chelsea, because Wembley hosted football at the Olympics.The annual match was also played outside of London in 2022 because Wembley hosted the Women's European Championship final, when Manchester City faced Liverpool at Leicester City's King Power Stadium.The Principality Stadium and the two iterations of Wembley are among a long list of venues to have hosted the fixture.Stamford Bridge, Highbury, White Hart Lane, Old Trafford, Maine Road, The Den, Molineux and Filbert Street have also been home to the Community Shield, formerly known as the Charity Shield.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. This question was sent in by Russell from Lee-on-the-Solent.Contact formContact formMore questions answered...Does World Cup third place play-off count towards Golden Boot?
Football News
Plenty of the Premier League's top clubs have rolled the managerial dice ahead of next season. Manchester City are one of those starting a new era, turning to Enzo Maresca in the wake of Pep Guardiola's decision to depart.Maresca is returning for his third stint at the club, having been an academy coach in 2020-21 and then Guardiola's assistant in 2022-23 - the famous Premier League-Champions League-FA Cup treble-winning campaign.He is familiar with the pursuit of silverware, but is yet to be the one to deliver it at such scale. So, how well positioned is he to lead Man City to glory in 2026-27?Maresca has been given a kind start to his term, meeting Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry City in his first three outings - a generous run to be able to establish some early rhythm. It also gives Man City's World Cup warriors, those in battle until the very last, a chance to ease back in.Rodri played nearly every minute of Spain's triumphant campaign and is the most susceptible to breaking down with fatigue. Given those first three fixtures will still heavily favour Man City without him, he should benefit from a phased return.Maresca will, however, be under pressure to deliver given how winnable those fixtures are on paper. He cannot afford to cede ground early, especially as City face Man Utd and Liverpool in two of the next three in September. Clearly both of those rival bouts hold significance beyond the result.As the Italian acknowledged when joining, he is in a "dream situation", inheriting a well-balanced squad with incredible talent and depth, built by Guardiola. "It provides the consistency I need to do my job effectively," he said.The demands will therefore be the same as what were placed on Guardiola, without necessarily having the unique job security the Spaniard was afforded. Guardiola always managed on his own terms. Maresca has a strong bond with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, but won't necessarily get the same privilege.In terms of style, it's not quite rinse and repeat but there are plenty of similarities between Maresca and Guardiola's preferred way of playing.Both are rooted in possessing the ball, favouring control, and pressing aggressively. Maresca is arguably more expansive, though, wanting to stretch the pitch with wingers that play high and wide.City's wingers have been coached more recently to play a style where they tuck inside and rotate to create central overloads. Most of the play revolves around Rodri, but it's fluid.Watching City under Guardiola often meant seeing defenders step into midfield, midfielders become forwards, or even drop into full-back. Maresca's more rigid 4-2-3-1 structure will likely make for more traditional roles.It also requires a high-functioning No 10 to link play. At Chelsea, that was Cole Palmer. Maresca has got Phil Foden or Rayan Cherki to choose between, should he wish to adopt the same setup here.There has been a concerted effort over the past two or three transfer windows under Hugo Viana to lower the average age of the squad. It's dropped from 29 to just over 25, albeit a leadership void has appeared following the departures of Bernardo Silva and John Stones this summer - and Kevin de Bruyne before them.Rodri and Ruben Dias are important, while last season saw City lean further into a leadership role for Erling Haaland. Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol are also experienced, stable figures, plus Mateo Kovacic. The spine of the team remains incredibly strong.Business to date has been costly but smart. Elliot Anderson, signed for mega money from Nottingham Forest, has been bought to add robustness and future-proof midfield and young Jeremy Monga has been poached from Leicester.The wish list also includes a right-back and a winger, while keeping tabs on Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi, who excelled at the World Cup for Morocco. Arsenal are also admirers of him.Depending on potential suitors meeting the club's valuation, outgoings might comprise a selection of: Savinho, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Jack Grealish, Tijjani Reijnders and Rico Lewis. Transfer activity is expected to accelerate now the World Cup has concluded.This is the first time since the Abu Dhabi takeover that the plan is uncertain. 10 years ago, all preparation went into building a club to lure Guardiola to the Premier League. That vision has been and gone, so where now?City have forged a culture geared towards winning silverware, anything less is unlikely to be tolerated for a sustained period. Fans arrive at the Etihad expecting to be entertained, but above all, demanding to win. Balancing both is where Maresca's Chelsea failed.The 46-year-old does have the benefit of not being the only managerial newbie at one of the top clubs, though, making for a changeable Premier League landscape as the natural order figures itself out. At City, that is being viewed as an opportunity to take advantage of.Andoni Iraola at Liverpool, Xabi Alonso at Chelsea and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Michael Carrick at Man Utd, all hold question marks. This era of unknowns is fertile ground for anyone with ambition to make a mark. Very much sink or swim.115 Premier League charges still cloud the club. Maresca will have to field difficult questions from the media over it.Guardiola was the master of public-facing confrontation, having had to handle media glare at some of Europe's biggest clubs all his career. He knew the City press pack well and how to shut down any exchanges he wished not to speak on.Maresca came under fire at Chelsea at times but mainly over football matters. How he handles this situation will likely impact his first 12 months - assuming a verdict is reached within that timeframe.Maresca is due to give his first Man City press conference on Friday, July 24. You can follow everything that is said in our dedicated live blog here.
Football News
Aston Villa have signed Japan goalkeeper Akane Okuma, subject to visa approval.The 21-year-old joins the Women's Super League side from Japanese club INAC Kobe Leonessa, where she had played since 2024.Okuma began her senior career at JEF United Chiba.She represented Japan at youth level and was part of the senior squad that won the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup alongside new Villa team-mate Maya Hijikata.Villa director of women's football Marisa Ewers said: "Akane is an exciting young talent with a lot of potential and we're delighted to welcome her to Aston Villa."As a club, we're always looking at opportunities to identify talent in different markets around the world, and we're pleased to bring a player of Akane's profile to Villa."Okuma said she was looking forward to the next step in her career."I'm very happy to be here," she said. "I feel really fortunate to be a part of this club, and I can't wait to play with the team."Villa finished ninth in the 12-team WSL last season. The league's 2026-27 fixtures are scheduled to be released on 30 July, with the competition expanding to feature 14 teams.Find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed
Football News
France defender is club’s sixth signing of the summerCoach Ho says she is aggressive and good on the ballTottenham have signed the France defender Alice Sombath from Lyonnes for a club record fee. The price paid for the 22-year-old has not been disclosed but the previous club record, paid for Signe Gaupset in January, was reportedly more than £375,000.“The league is very competitive, every game is a tough game and that’s what I’m most excited about,” said Sombath. “I saw that Spurs had a very good season last year. My qualities can bring something to the team, even though I know they already have a lot.”Sombath spent six years at the eight-time European champions Lyonnes, signing her first professional contract with the club after she was signed from Paris Saint-Gemain in 2020.She won the Champions League in her second season, featuring twice and being on the bench in the final, and won five league titles and two Coupe de France titles.Tottenham’s head coach, Martin Ho, said the defender “fits the profile of what we’re building”. “She has already shown real maturity in her performances, and we believe she has all the qualities to continue developing into a top player within our environment,” he said.“Alice is an aggressive defender who is comfortable in possession, competitive in her duels, and has the ambition to keep improving every day. Those characteristics are really important to us, and we’re excited to help her take the next step in her career while strengthening the squad.”Sombath is Spurs’s sixth signing of the summer, after Shekiera Martinez, Kirsty Hanson, Victoria Pelova, Caitlin Dijkstra and Selma Panengstuen.It is understood the club are delighted to have got these deals done early, allowing for a full pre-season, and that Sombath’s recruitment means they have secured the services of their six priority targets.Tottenham finished an impressive fifth in the WSL last season after a disappointing 11th place the preceding season. They were four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United but 19 behind the league winners, Manchester City.
Football News
BBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished20 minutes agoErica Meg Parkinson was an unknown quantity when England manager Sarina Wiegman unexpectedly named her in the senior squad in March.The teenager was playing in Portugal and had only made the jump up to England's Under-23s a few months earlier.People are now starting to take notice as the midfielder secured a move to the United States this summer, joining North Carolina Courage on a three-year deal.Wiegman was in the stands watching on Saturday as the 17-year-old made her debut, coming on as a half-time substitute in a 3-0 loss to Bay FC and performing well.But behind the raw talent is an ambitious footballer who has planned out her route to the top by training her mind in order to stand out from the rest.BBC Sport explores how she is developing off the pitch as well as on it.'I like surprises' - Wiegman calls up 17-year-old ParkinsonShe was with Leixoes from the age of 10 and had some involvement with Benfica before breaking into Valadares Gaia's first team in the 2023-24 season.Since the age of 12, Parkinson has been working with a mindset coach, developing skills to handle pressure and expectation off the pitch, and to improve her leadership, decision-making and awareness on it.She connected with Martin Fairn, founder of Gazing Performance, who has worked with a number of elite athletes including the New Zealand men's rugby team and former England cricketer Ashley Giles.Fairn was approached by Parkinson's father, Richard, and quickly began working with Erica and her brother Dennis."I knew straight away that Erica had a determination not everybody has," Fairn told BBC Sport."I said to Erica: 'What do you want to do?' And she said: 'I'd like to play football for England.' That was how it all kicked off."It's relatively rare someone that young seeks out mindset training. Do they need it? There won't be one person who couldn't benefit from it."In football particularly, it's viewed as a problem that needs fixing rather than a skill that needs developing."Parkinson and Fairn have worked together for over five years, catching up in person at the end of each season and holding regular meetings over Zoom.In a pre-season session before the 2025-26 campaign - which BBC Sport has seen summary notes of - Parkinson focused on raised expectations and on developing more clarity of her role on the pitch.On her flight to her first senior Lionesses camp in March, Parkinson wrote a list of the pressures and emotions she could feel - a common process with Fairn.They reflected on how she might react to the challenges, what her ambitions were during those moments and how she could prepare.Anticipation of walking into a camp with star-studded namesOne of the biggest discussions Fairn and Parkinson had was about the work she had done to get herself into a position to earn an England call-up.Parkinson can speak four languages, has trained with boys in Portugal and cemented her place in the senior women's team at Valadares as a 15-year-old.She has almost 50 caps for England's youth teams and will be taking another step-up now she has joined North Carolina Courage.But there is still a way to go if Parkinson wants to become a regular in Wiegman's squad - so how can Fairn help her prepare for that?"The pathway to the top is notoriously challenging. The acceptance Erica had of that reality was one of the first breakthroughs," said Fairn."She's really clear about the people around her and she comes to each session with a list of things she's going to work on."Her own expectations are the biggest source of pressure. Naturally, that's her strength - she wants to get better - but it can be a vulnerability if it just sits in your head."She's built confidence to feel comfortable performing at the level she's at. Some people feel they have to be perfect but you need to realise you won't be."Fairn says Parkinson excels at "zooming out" which allows her to recognise her progress, where she needs to develop and the impact of any mistakes she makes.It is clear that despite her young age, Parkinson has matured rapidly and Fairn believes she has not only the talent, but the mental tools for continued success."Her determination is clear when you meet her. She's prepared to work as hard as she needs to achieve her dreams," he added."It's a real privilege to be involved in part of that story. When you watch her play - and at every level I've watched her - she looks like she belongs."I suspect she will feel, already where she is with the Lionesses, is where she's meant to be."Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed
Football News
Senior football correspondentPublished20 minutes ago34 CommentsBournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has rejected a new contract with growing Premier League interest in the England Under-21 international.The Cherries have made it a summer priority to tie Scott down to fresh terms but as things stand there is no agreement.The development comes amid interest from Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea.BBC Sport reported in June that Arsenal saw an approach for Scott turned down by Bournemouth.The 22-year-old, who joined Bournemouth from Bristol City in 2023 for £25m, has two years left on his current deal with the Premier League side.Scott was selected in his first England squad last November and was then called up into Thomas Tuchel's extended pre-World Cup training camp in Florida but is yet make an appearance at senior international level.He joined Bristol City from Guernsey FC in 2020, going on to make 91 appearances for the Championship side in all competitions.Having been named the division's young player of the season in 2022-23, Scott joined Bournemouth where he has made 89 appearances and scored six goals.He helped Bournemouth finish sixth in 2025-26 under Andoni Iraola, qualifying for the Europa League for the first time in their history.Pre-match, post-match and topical Cherries contentSubscribe and listen for everything you love about the CherriesAsk our team a question about Bournemouth's transfer businessLatest Bournemouth news, analysis and fan views
Football News
BBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished22 minutes agoTottenham have signed France international defender Alice Sombath for a club record transfer fee from Lyon.The 22-year-old joins for an undisclosed fee and the length of her contract is unknown.The previous club record signing is believed to have been Norway international Signe Gaupset's arrival for around £375,000 last year.Sombath has spent five seasons at European giants Lyon, making 102 appearances and breaking into the France senior squad.During her time in France, she won five consecutive Premiere Ligue titles and was part of the successful 2021-22 Women's Champions League squad.Promoted Crystal Palace sign striker England"I saw that Spurs had a very good season last year. My qualities can bring something to the team, even though I know they already have a lot."Sombath came through Paris FC's academy and joined Paris St-Germain's youth team set-up before her move to Lyon in 2020.She can play at centre-back or right-back and has represented France at every age group from the under-16s to the senior squad.The defender featured in all of France's matches at Euro 2025, starting three games in the group stages."She's a player we've followed closely for some time and one who fits the profile of what we're building here," said Tottenham manager Martin Ho."She has already shown real maturity in her performances, and we believe she has all the qualities to continue developing into a top player within our environment."Alice is an aggressive defender who is comfortable in possession, competitive in her duels, and has the ambition to keep improving every day."This is another important addition as we continue building for the future. We can't wait to get started with Alice and welcome her into the group."Tottenham have been successful in the pursuit of their key targets during the transfer window, bringing in six additions including Sombath.They have also signed Shekeira Martinez, Kirsty Hanson, Victoria Pelova, Caitlin Dijkstra and Selma Panengstuen, getting their business done early.Find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed
Football News
The two substitutes combined on the World Cup winning goal not by changing the game, but by offering it what it needed, when it was neededAs Spain built into the second half of extra-time of Sunday’s World Cup final, it was already clear that Argentina hoped to make them suffer. Every challenge left no stud unshown. Their defenders labored to prevent striker Mikel Oyarzabal from his typical lanes of service, with Spain taking eleven of their 20 attempts from beyond the box.Lionel Scaloni’s side may have been aggressive, but they were also just structured enough to withstand the endless monsoon of Spanish pressure. Ever since the 62nd minute, when Luis de la Fuente brought his first two charges off of the bench, Spain had adapted to find new avenues to attack, adjusting with Enzo Fernández’s sending off near the end of normal time.In his 106th minute at right-back, and with Lamine Yamal sizing up Argentina’s defensive shape at the edge of the box, Pedro Porro looked at the developing scrum outside the box. Fresh from the kickoff, his teammates were largely running parallel to him, but were just restrained enough in their movement to create precious yards of open terrain beyond the backline. As Yamal passed back to his flank-side running mate, many in the stadium thought it was another of countless recirculations to start an approach up another pathway.Instead, Porro lobbed in a cross. The Tottenham defender bent it to perfection, powerful enough for some defenders to be in two minds about how to react but not so overhit that it risked crossing the byline. Nico Williams was quick to it, finding that his supporting numbers were trailing a bit beyond the ball for late arrivals into the box.Williams spent far more of his time at the 2026 World Cup watching on from the sideline than he would’ve liked. A starter for all six games of Spain’s triumphant run through Euro 2024, Williams arrived stateside with a groin strain and hamstring issues incurred late in the La Liga season before leaving the group stage finale against Uruguay with an adductor injury.The Athletic Club winger never started a game at this World Cup, with his 45-minute shift against Argentina being his longest of the tournament. On Sunday, his entrance promised greater verve and unpredictability than the winger he replaced, Alex Baena, who had largely been ineffective as an outlet before exiting.Better late than never, Williams did not waste his opportunity once it finally arrived. As Porro’s cross fell back to Earth, the 24-year-old got his head to the ball not to square right into the heart of the six-yard box, but instead to deftly doff it beyond the nearby defenders and into the stride of another second-half substitute, Ferran Torres. It was a goal borne of preternatural assessments of space, the only way Spain could break down a dogged Argentine side desperate to get Emiliano Martínez into penalties.Like Williams, Torres had checked into try exploiting Argentina’s approach to the final. While Oyarzabal proved invaluable for a possession-dominant Spain, able to drop deep and help with buildup while backing himself to find seams along the backline to move into, Argentina had structured themselves to allow that, but prevent him from getting the ball any closer to goal. Torres offered a bit more finesse, more of a natural off-ball mover in the game’s most dynamic phases, but also came on with more gas in the tank that helped him stay sharp against a rapidly tiring group of Argentine veterans.In a final of clattering challenges, Torres’ run went entirely unchecked. Giuliano Simeone, the player closest to Torres, had almost cartoonishly taken himself out of the play right as Torres blew past him. Just before Williams kept the ball from going out of play, Simeone had assessed the pass to have come in overcooked and was already bent over to adjust his sock as Williams’ header bounced to Torres. Three Argentine defenders had glommed on to Mikel Merino, who scored match-winners against Portugal and Belgium, leaving Torres with equally unusual time and a void of defensive pressure to finally get Spain on track for their second men’s World Cup title.Throughout the tournament’s business end, Spain were discussed as being the best team of the tournament. The collective approach had become so cohesive that, even if they didn’t score, the team’s focus on their buildup seldom waned. Players had gotten so confident in their mettle under de la Fuente that each seemed eager to embrace their role even if it meant less of an individual spotlight in a World Cup headlined by its stars.That’s a rare balance in modern international soccer. While the club side of the game has gotten meticulously curated, with every pressing trigger and passing sequence being carefully rehearsed, playing for a national team is usually where stars go to enjoy their game with a team largely built to account for their strengths in weaknesses. Thomas Tuchel tried to foster a similar culture with his squad selections, but found himself light on midfielders after Jordan Henderson’s klutzy celebration.It makes it all too easy to distill teams down to the star they’re designed to support. When it works, as it largely did for Messi’s Argentina, few question the wisdom of the approach. When it doesn’t, as we saw with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, it’s an equally obvious problem that the coach was unwilling to solve.Like the world’s best clubs, de la Fuente was able to change Spain’s approach during games by bringing in players who could occupy identical spaces to the starters they would replace because each interpreted their role differently. Williams's approach on the wing gave him greater license to put the opponent on the back foot than Baena’s; Torres came into the game and would later successfully stretch a shorthanded Argentina. Even Pedri – who checked in with Torres just after the hour mark – made life more difficult for Argentina, as a more dribbly midfield complement to Rodri than Fabián Ruiz.While Argentina looked to labor in the mid-afternoon New Jersey sun, Spain adapted. Their continued to morph to find new methods to make the defending champions sweat further. And, with an expert looping cross, a brilliant and deft header, and an opportunistic scamper into space, it’s Spain who will enter the 2030 World Cup cycle at the pinnacle of the sport.
