Chelsea are now considering a marquee transfer double deal to bolster Enzo Maresca’s squad ahead of 2026, according to reports.

Chelsea tipped as Premier League title contenders ahead of Arsenal

On the pitch, their Premier League title credentials are set for a stern evaluation as they prepare for a blockbuster face-off against frontrunners Arsenal this weekend.

Sunday’s heavyweight clash between the London rivals at Stamford Bridge will provide the clearest indication yet of whether Maresca’s youthful side genuinely belong in the conversation, or if they still remain a year away from challenging for football’s ultimate prize.

The debate surrounding Chelsea’s title credentials has intensified following their impressive recent run, with Maresca himself refusing to rule out the possibility, in stark contrast to last year.

Tuesday’s 3-0 dismantling of Barcelona in the Champions League demonstrated their ability to deliver against Europe’s elite even without superstar Cole Palmer, with Estevao taking all the headlines after his masterclass against the Catalans.

Luckily for Maresca, Palmer is back to full fitness and available to play Arsenal, with Maresca handed the desired conundrum of fitting both the England international and Estevao into the same team.

Chelsea’s boss has grown adept when it comes to tinkering with his side, having made more first eleven changes than any other manager in the Premier League by far this season.

However, they could hardly ask for a tougher test on paper than Arsenal, who are currently 16 games unbeaten in all competitions and fresh off a statement Champions League performance themselves.

Chelsea have already signed "the next Cristiano Ronaldo" for half of his release clause

He could be their next Estevao-esque talent.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2025

Mikel Arteta’s side have established themselves as the benchmark to beat, and their unbeaten seven-game run against Chelsea will gift the Gunners major confidence heading into their west London tie.

Off the field, BlueCo are devising yet more plans to strengthen the Chelsea squad in future windows, despite spending nearly £300 million in the summer.

Chelsea considering £120m double deal for FC Porto's Aghehowa and Froholdt

As per reports from Spain, Chelsea are considering an ambitious £120 million deal for two talented FC Porto players, with Victor Froholdt and Samu Aghehowa emerging as top targets.

Froholdt, a 19-year-old midfielder, has captured Chelsea’s attention through his exceptional composure in possession from deep positions. The west Londoners are apparently fans of the teenager’s technical ability, and believe he could slot in seamlessly alongside Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo.

Meanwhile, Aghehowa also appeals to Chelsea’s recruitment team after his stellar 2025.

The 21-year-old striker has established himself as a consistent goalscorer in Portugal, bagging 27 goals in 45 games last term, and has continued that fine form by hitting double figures this season.

Aghehowa is a familiar name to Chelsea, having once come close to signing the Spain international back in 2024.

Both players align with their transfer strategy when it comes to recruiting world football’s most exciting young talents, but the competition for Aghehowa’s signature alone means this won’t be easy by any means.

Newcastle United may be active in the January transfer market, with a number of areas in need of work.

After winning the Carabao Cup last season and securing Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons, Eddie Howe has struggled to get a tune out of his Magpie squad, who languish in 14th place in the Premier League.

Struggles on the road have been well documented in recent weeks, but Newcastle have a wider crisis of creativity that must be fixed.

#

Club

xG Total

1.

Chelsea

20.4

2.

Man City

19.3

3.

Crystal Palace

19.0

4.

Arsenal

18.8

5.

Man United

18.2

12.

Newcastle

12.8

Nick Woltemade has been the shining light at number nine, so exciting and promising in Alexander Isak’s former berth, but he can only do so much as United struggle to fashion chances with the regularity that is required to compete at the top of the table.

Latest on Newcastle's transfer search

While Newcastle have dynamic wingers and a robust and compact central midfield, there’s no question that more is needed, and with Joelinton under fire for his performances this season, there’s a vacancy emerging for a hungry new playmaker.

Newcastle did sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for a fee in excess of £40m this summer, but the 24-year-old has yet to hit a rich vein of form on Tyneside. A new solution may be needed here.

Well, according to GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle could land the help that they need in the form of Kees Smit, having learned that they will have to make the 19-year-old AZ Alkmaar’s club-record sale if they wish to prise him away from the Netherlands in 2026.

The Eredivisie outfit would be looking for a £22m payment if they are to relinquish control of their prized prospect, and with Barcelona and Real Madrid lurking, Newcastle will need to act speedily.

Why Newcastle want Kees Smit

Smit might be a teenager, but he’s already welcomed a few onto the hype train, with analyst Ben Mattinson marvelling at the “duel monster” and his all-encompassing midfield qualities.

Effortlessly calm in tight spaces, Smit is fostering an exciting and creative skillset, with FBref recording that he ranks among the top 6% of similar midfielders over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for through balls, and the top 10% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

He thrived against Crystal Palace in their recent Conference League clash, grabbing an assist, completing three dribbles and winning six duels.

There’s a maturity about this creator that suggests he could be tailor-made for a career in the Premier League, with Sofascore recording that he has averaged 3.5 duels, 1.2 tackles and six ball recoveries per Eredivisie match too. He’s the complete package.

19 years old. We might even be talking about a bigger talent here than Woltemade, a dominant athlete whose technical understanding has seen him become one of AZ’s most important cogs at this fledgling phase.

Woltemade has been one of Newcastle’s star players this season, and he will continue to improve, but Smit’s playmaking may elevate the German to another level entirely down the line.

Smit or Woltemade? Who’s the bigger talent? Perhaps we’re splitting hairs. United just need to get the deal over the line, thus combining two brilliant footballers and reenergising Howe’s attack.

He'd revive Gordon: Newcastle could hire Howe 2.0 in "the best coach in PL"

Recent form has made Newcastle consider the unthinkable possibility of Howe moving on at some stage.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025

“The beauty of this team is that we’ve not relied on one person. More people are starting to click and put in performances,” Marizanne Kapp says after massive win over Pakistan

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Oct-20253:27

Review – South Africa are looking formidable

When South Africa began the World Cup by being blown away for 69 by England, it was natural to wonder whether they really were serious contenders for the title. But, since that catastrophic start, they have put on one hell of a campaign. They have now won five games in a row – four of those comfortably, only one match going into the final over.In the rain-affected match against Pakistan on Tuesday, South Africa’s batters put on their highest World Cup score ever, hitting 312 for 9. What’s more, they only had 40 overs in which to make those runs. The 312 is also the highest total at the Khettarama this World Cup by 54 runs.Senior allrounder Marizanne Kapp, who hit 68 not out off 43 balls, said afterwards that a host of players had stepped their game up to make this turnaround happen. “We were very disappointed with that performance against England,” she said. “Luckily, we turned it around very quickly. I think that’s down to the goals we’ve had and the hard work we’ve been putting in.Related

'Want to take it one step further' – Bosch on SA's push for maiden ODI World Cup final

Kapp-powered SA knock Pakistan out in wet Colombo

“The beauty of this team is that we’ve not relied on one person. More people are starting to click and put in performances.”And so it was on Tuesday, that to reach their highest World Cup total, South Africa had a range of important contributions. Captain Laura Wolvaardt led off with a 90 off 82 balls. Sune Luus made 61 off 59. Kapp hit three sixes and six fours in her innings. And, at the death, Nadine de Klerk thumped a staggering 41 off 16 balls. De Klerk had hit only two fifties from 43 previous innings before she bludgeoned a match-turning 84 not out off 54 balls in the game against India. She had then hit 37 not out off 29 against Bangladesh, before this explosive innings in Colombo.”We’ve always known Nadine’s very talented,” said Kapp. “I’ve always rated her. I’ve always said she’s a very good batting allrounder. In the last few years, I think it’s been about the bowling, but this year her batting is really clicking.”South Africa had booked a place in the semi-finals even before this game and are now certain to finish at least third on the table. They have one match in this stage to play – against the feared Australia side.Despite that embarrassing start, Kapp thinks the bowlers have more work to do than the batters to get South Africa in perfect shape for the knockouts.”The batters have been very proactive. The intent is there, as well as the scoring shots,” she said. “I think we can tighten up a little bit on the bowling side of things. Even though we’ve done well, we’ve bowled some loose deliveries.”But in general we’re happy with where we are at the moment.”

حلل أسطورة نادي ريال مدريد فوز فريقه السابق على أولمبياكوس أمس الأربعاء، حيث لعبت المباراة في منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا في مرحلة الدوري.

ريال مدريد استطاع استعادة عافيته وحقق انتصارًا بشق الأنفس على أولمبياكوس بأربعة أهداف مقابل ثلاثة، ضمن الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري في مسابقة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويعاني ريال مدريد الأمرين خلال الفترة الأخيرة من هذا الموسم، حيث تراجعت نتائج الفريق الملكي ومستوى الفريق كذلك خلال المباريات الأخيرة.

وجاء فوز ريال مدريد على أولمبياكوس ليكسر إحصائية سلبية للميرنجي تمثلت في عدم فوز الفريق في ثلاث مباريات متتالية.

ويرى مانولو سانشيز، أسطورة ريال مدريد، أن الفريق الملكي يعاني بالفعل من مشاكل في دفاعه، موضحًا أن خط دفاع النادي الإسباني أصبح نقطة ضعف حقيقية.

أقرأ أيضًا .. تطورات هامة بشأن موقف فينيسيوس جونيور من التجديد لـ ريال مدريد وقال سانشيز في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “هذه مباراة ستمنحك فيها النتيجة بعض الطمأنينة لكنها تحتاج إلى الكثير من التحليل، لأن هناك أموراً جيدة، ولكن هناك أموراً أخرى تحتاج إلى تصحيح، لو كان الخصم مختلفاً يلعب نفس المباراة، لما كانت النتيجة هي نفسها”.

وأضاف: “أعتقد أن الجهاز الفني واللاعبين بحاجة إلى معالجة نقطة ضعف أصبحت تمثل نقطة ضعف وهي الجانب الدفاعي، ليس فقط الدفاع بل النظام الدفاعي بأكمله”.

وأوضح: ”أحيانًا يخترق لاعبو خط وسط الخصم بسهولة مما يخلق مساحات كبيرة في الخلف، نستقبل الكثير من الأهداف من الكرات الرأسية والألعاب الهوائية، خاصةً وأن لدينا لاعبين طوال القامة ومتميزين أيضًا في الكرات الهوائية”.

واختتم: “أفتقد شخصًا ينظم الأمور عندما تكون هناك فوضى في منطقة الجزاء في ريال مدريد، شخصًا يصرخ ويضع اللاعبين في أماكنهم ويمنح كل واحد منهم مسؤوليته”.

Bangladesh have faced England only once in the format, at the 2022 World Cup

S Sudarshanan06-Oct-20253:40

Dean: ‘Having Nat and Lottie feels like a fresh start’

Big picture – a rare meetingEngland take on Bangladesh in an ODI World Cup match.The sentence itself is an event. Despite qualifying for back-to-back ODI World Cups – in 2022 and now in 2025 – Bangladesh have faced England only once in the format, and that too in the previous edition.”This is the stage where we show our capabilities so that teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana said on match eve.Related

Smith puts the skids on South Africa to ignite World Cup campaign

Nahida Akter's journey comes full circle at the Women's World Cup

As per the new future tours programme which will run from 2025-29, Bangladesh are scheduled to tour England for three ODIs and as many T20Is in September 2027. That is perhaps when the fixture will stop being an event.On the field, both teams are coming on the back of comfortable wins. England’s multi-pronged attack could pose a tough challenge for Bangladesh, whose batters often struggle to force the pace. Conversely, if the track assists spin, Bangladesh’s spin-heavy attack led by Nahida Akter could be more than just a handful for England. Their batters were hardly challenged in the opening game.Form guideEngland WLWLW (last five matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WLLWWIn the spotlight: Lamb and MarufaShe is just 21 ODIs old, but Emma Lamb is already adapting to a second role in England’s batting unit. A natural opener, she scored her only century at the top of the order and was the leading run-scorer in the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup while opening for champions Lancashire. At the start of this English summer, though, Amy Jones was promoted to open, and Lamb was moved to No. 3 when Heather Knight was recovering from a hamstring injury. Now, with Knight back for the World Cup, Lamb is set to take on an altogether different role – batting in the lower-middle order and chipping in with a few overs of offspin. She wasn’t needed with either bat or ball in England’s tournament opener, but could get her first go in this new role against Bangladesh if her team bats first.Marufa Akter will be key for Bangladesh•ICC/Getty ImagesMarufa Akter just loves to bowl. After setting the tone in Bangladesh’s win over Pakistan, she lit up their first practice session in India. With rain forcing the team indoors, Marufa was full of energy, bowling at full tilt two days out from the contest. She constantly troubled captain Sultana in the nets, eventually bowling her once. With her ability to move the new ball and generate sharp pace, Marufa could be a real handful for England’s openers – Tammy Beaumont tends to struggle against the incoming angle early on, while Jones prefers a cautious start.Team newsGiven England’s line-up was hardly tested against South Africa, expect them to go in with an unchanged XI.England (probable XI): 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Amy Jones (wk), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellAgainst England’s right-hand heavy line-up, Bangladesh could look to play left-arm spinner Sanjida Akter Meghla for an offspinner in Nishita Akter Nishi.Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Fargana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 5 Sobhana Mostary, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Nishita Akter Nishi/Sanjida Akter MeghlaPitch and conditionsA fresh pitch will be used for the game. But it may not behave too differently from the first two tracks. Both the pitches assisted spin as the afternoon wore on but against fast bowling, the ball came nicely onto the bat.As for the weather, there is slight chance of rain. There was rain predicted for the England-South Africa game on Monday, but it stayed dry, while Bangladesh were forced indoors two days before this match due to an unexpected shower.Stats and trivia Bangladesh’s only ODI against England came at the previous World Cup. Only Fargana Hoque, Fahima Khatun and Ritu Moni from the current Bangladesh squad have played an ODI in India before. England’s win/loss ratio of 1.0 in 2025, their worst in a calendar year since 2007. They have won three games against West Indies, one each against India and South Africa. England will play their 94th ODI World Cup game to be on par with Australia for the joint-most. Quotes”With sub-continent conditions comes the offer of extra spin. So, [I am] trying to really make sure that you’re hitting with the spin and going through all your different options. I’ve been sweeping quite a lot, reverse sweeping, which is something that I might not get out in a game straight away, but it’s something that I’ve put a lot of hours into to make sure that when I do, hopefully it goes well.”
“We have a lot of information on them because of our analysts. We want to play our “A” game and don’t want to go by just names. We will try to make lesser mistakes and take confidence from the win over Pakistan.”

Inter Miami crushed New York City FC 5-1 to win the Eastern Conference title and reach the first MLS Cup final in club history. After the match, manager Javier Mascherano praised the team’s unity, calling them an “unbreakable group” and crediting the players for believing in the project. The Herons now await the Western Conference champion.

Getty Images SportDominant showing

Mascherano said Miami’s performance mirrored exactly what he had hoped for. 

“One always imagines the best when thinking about games – being able to play a great match, dominate, create clear chances,” the Argentine said. “We knew it would be difficult. New York didn’t create chances, and until the 60th minute or so, they were still alive.”

Miami rode a strong showing from Tadeo Allende, who had a hat-trick, along with Jordi Alba's creative genius to power their rout. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTeam unity

He emphasized that Miami’s transformation has come from players fully committing to the path laid out for them. 

“The credit is theirs,” he said. “I’d highlight the last two months – they’ve been incredible. But the merit goes to the players for convincing themselves of where we wanted to go. We’ve reached the end of the season with a brotherhood inside the team, everyone pulling in the same direction, and the power of a group is unbreakable. We’re on the verge of playing the game we dreamed of, at home, with our people.”

Mascherano also reflected on what Inter Miami have become – and how past setbacks helped shape this moment. 

Getty Images SportPraising Martino's previous impact

Mascherano made a point to acknowledge predecessor Gerardo Martino’s impact.

“I think it would be unfair not to recognize what Gerardo Martino did,” he said. “He was the first to give this team its identity. A Leagues Cup, competing for the Supporters’ Shield… the desire to compete and lift the club to another level kept growing. Beyond the big signings we made, you need players with hierarchy.”

The turning point for Miami, Mascherano explained, came earlier in the postseason. “Before Game 3 against Nashville – that was the moment when it felt most like last season would repeat itself. A similar match, playing against a lion at home. What happened last season… we wouldn’t be experiencing this today if we hadn’t gone through that elimination. In one way or another, the guys understood how to face the final stretch.”

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'Make history with this club'

Rodrigo De Paul echoed the sense of fulfillment as Miami now prepares to face either San Diego FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS Cup.

“An emotion, a reward for the effort, for the work, with clear ideas to make history with this club,” De Paul said. “The happiness is immense. Every game has big meaning and importance – that prepares you for the big matches, and today we played a perfect game.”

Inter Miami will host the winner of San Diego FC vs. Vancouver next Saturday at Chase Stadium – the last MLS match the venue will host before the team moves to its new home in 2026. 

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo venceu o clássico contra o Flamengo por 2 a 0, na manhã deste domingo (28), e assumiu a liderança provisória do Campeonato Brasileiro. Os gols no Maracanã foram marcados por Luiz Henrique e Savarino. Confira o Lance! Final no player acima.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoJornalista diz que Luiz Henrique, do Botafogo, deveria ter recebido amarelo por comemorar gol com máscaraFora de Campo28/04/2024Fora de CampoTorcedores enlouquecem com golaço de Luiz Henrique pelo Botafogo: ‘Caçador de urubu’Fora de Campo28/04/2024FlamengoWeb reage com ‘fora, Tite’ após derrota do Flamengo para o BotafogoFlamengo28/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Flamengo

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO 0 X 2 BOTAFOGO
4ª RODADA – SÉRIE B DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO
🗓️ Data e horário: domingo, 28 de abril de 2024, às 11h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Maracanã, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ);
🟨 Árbitro: Raphael Claus (FIFA-SP);
🚩 Assistentes: Danilo Ricardo Simon Manis (FIFA-SP) e Evandro de Melo Lima (SP);
🖥️ VAR: Rodolpho Toski Marques (FIFA-PR).

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Tite)
Rossi; Varela (Wesley), Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira e Ayrton Lucas (Viña); Erick Pulgar (Allan), De la Cruz e Arrascaeta (Lorran); Luiz Araújo (Gerson), Bruno Henrique e Pedro.

continua após a publicidade

BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Artur Jorge)
John; Damián Suárez, Lucas Halter (Alexander Barboza), Bastos e Hugo; Danilo Barbosa (Gregore), Marlon Freitas, Eduardo (Tchê Tchê) e Savarino; Luiz Henrique (Jeffinho) e Júnior Santos (Diego Hernández).

Tudo sobre

BotafogoBrasileirãoFlamengoFutebol Nacional

Harsh Dubey, the left-arm spinner who has been at the centre of Vidarbha’s strong red-ball campaigns over the last two seasons, feels it is the the team’s discipline that makes them stand out from other Indian sides.Last season, Dubey’s 69 wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season were the most for any bowler in the competition’s history. Part of Vidarbha’s age-group set-up before graduating into the senior team, he also said the closeness of the squad and the structure in place has helped Vidarbha become successful.”I will not say [Vidarbha are the] strongest, because I feel that more than being the strongest, we have the most disciplined cricketers overall in India, because of our structure, our team bonding,” Dubey said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai. “So, I feel that because of the unity we play with, we defeat the strongest teams. This is my observation.”Related

• Dubey and Thakur seal Irani Cup title for Vidarbha

• The 91st season of the Ranji Trophy is unmissable – here's why

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• Shami: If I can play Ranji Trophy, I can play 50-overs

Vidarbha have been on a roll over the last two seasons in red-ball competitions. They reached the Ranji Trophy final in 2023-24, won it in 2024-25 and have started the 2025-26 domestic season by securing their third Irani Cup title. They also won back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19.”See, honestly, the current lot that’s playing now, we have won at least 2-3 trophies in age group cricket. So, we know that winning habit,” Dubey said. “And even the structure of our off-season camps in the VCA, it makes a lot of difference as to how strong your basics are.”Because our coach, Usman Ghani, he was most of our players’ coach in U-14 or U-19. So, I think he has a very good understanding of the players – ‘who can be useful to me and when’.”And even the role of of our backroom team, our trainers, our physios, their role is very important. So, I think we are getting the result of their hard work in the last 7-8 years.”Despite Vidarbha’s successes, very few players from the team have made the national side. Karun Nair, who has now moved to Karnataka between seasons, made a comeback in England, while Jitesh Sharma’s white-ball credentials have made him a regular in the T20I team. However, the list is sparse, with Umesh Yadav being the standout from the team over the past two decades.When asked if players from Vidarbha not getting picked for India can demoralise the team, Dubey said it was all a matter of perspective.”I think it’s a matter of motivation,” Dubey said. “That just ‘this much’ won’t do. You have to do more. So, if you think positively about this negative point, then I think you will have a mindset that will help you do even better.Akshay Wadkar’s leadership has been a standout in Vidarbha’s recent successes•PTI

“So, I think the players who are doing well – like Yash Rathod is doing well, Danish Malewar is doing well, our skipper [Akshay Wadkar] is doing well – there are a lot of such players. So, if you keep doing well consistently. You will get an opportunity at some point.”Vidarbha have replaced Nair in the squad by signing up ex-Karnataka batter R Samarth for this season, who has made the switch from Uttarakhand. It leaves a big gap in their middle-order, but Dubey said the Irani Cup performance of beating a strong Rest of India team showed there’s no void.”I read this in another place that if Karun Nair is not here, how will Vidarbha win Irani Trophy?,” Dubey said. “We won the Irani Trophy. We won without Karun Nair, and even Samarth didn’t even play this time.”So it’s not that if a player leaves, it will leave a gap. I think we have enough good players and even if we don’t have professionals, we can still do well. But yes, having a professional is an additional benefit because they bring experience with them and you get to learn new things many times. I don’t think if anyone leaves Vidarbha, there will be a gap.”On Wednesday, Vidarbha began their Ranji Trophy title defence against Nagaland in Bengaluru. They are in a tough Elite Group A alongside Jharkhand, Andhra, Baroda, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Nagaland.

A star-studded cast of sporting icons – including Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Aaron Judge – will join former England captain Rio Ferdinand and broadcaster Samantha Johnson for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw on Dec. 5. The event will pair football heavyweights with stars from other sports as the 48-team groups are revealed, with Eli Manning set to host the red-carpet arrivals the night before the ceremony.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'An unbelievable honor'

  Former England captain Rio Ferdinand will headline the on-stage proceedings, conducting the draw alongside award-winning broadcaster Samantha Johnson. The duo will guide the expanded 48-team format through its official reveal, marking a historic moment for the first World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Ferdinand called the opportunity “an unbelievable honor,” saying that while his greatest memories came from performing on the pitch, taking on this role for the world’s biggest sporting showpiece is “a special responsibility.”

  “To conduct this historic draw is an unbelievable honor,” Ferdinand said in the press release. “As a player, I lived for these global stages – now I’m humbled to play a different, special role together with an incredible line-up to reveal the 12 groups of four teams that the whole world is waiting for.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Cross-sport legends join as draw assistants

  In an unprecedented multi-sport crossover, FIFA has assembled a lineup of sporting icons to assist with the draw, including seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady, NHL all-time leading scorer Gretzky, NBA Hall of Famer O’Neal, and New York Yankees slugger Judge. Manning will serve as the official red-carpet host for pre-draw programming, adding even more star power to the buildup.

  Gretzky emphasized the unifying power of the World Cup as it arrives in North America.

  “Soccer has a unique power to unite people from all over the world and create a positive impact, and I cannot wait to see this happening in North America next year and beyond, when we host the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup,” Gretzky said in the release. “I’m thrilled to be part of the draw that will decide the fate of the participating teams – and stir emotions across the world. This will be an unforgettable moment for me personally.”

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  Hart and Klum also involved

  The event will be co-hosted by supermodel and Emmy-winning television personality Heidi Klum, comedian and actor Kevin Hart, and actor-producer Danny Ramirez, who will bring warmth and Hollywood flair to the ceremony. Fans will be treated to live performances by classical maestro Andrea Bocelli, global superstar Robbie Williams, and American singer Nicole Scherzinger. After the draw concludes, the iconic Village People will perform their global anthem, Y.M.C.A., adding a celebratory close to the show.

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• AFP
  

  All eyes on draw…

  The Dec. 5 ceremony marks the final major milestone before the World Cup kicks off in 2026. With a record 48 nations participating and North America hosting the biggest edition in history, FIFA aims to deliver a draw befitting the scale of the event – one that blends football tradition with global entertainment culture.

The Seattle Mariners will retire franchise legend Randy Johnson's No. 51 jersey during the 2026 season, the team announced on Monday.

In a moment that is long overdue, Johnson will become the sixth number retired in Mariners franchise history. The announcement was made on Monday as a way to commemorate the 35-year anniversary of throwing the team's first no-hitter.

"Randy is both one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history, and one of the most important figures in our organization’s history,” Mariners chairman John Stanton said in a release.. “During the 1995 season that changed the future of this franchise, his 18-2 record (in a 145-game season) was properly recognized with his first Cy Young Award.

"More importantly, and somewhat lost to history, the Mariners were an amazing 27-3 in his 30 starts that season, an incredible 24 games over .500, compared to a record of 52-63 when any other starter took to the hill for the club. His domination that year carried the Mariners to our first-ever postseason, which led directly to the construction of T-Mobile Park and the Mariners remaining safely in Seattle forever."

Johnson recorded a 130-74 record with the Mariners, posting a 3.42 ERA, 51 complete games and 2,162 strikeouts. Johnson's '95 season ended with a Cy Young award after going 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 294 strikeouts.

Johnson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015 as a first-ballot selection, garnering 97.3% of the vote.