Marco Bianchi 
Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) are set to play a third‑round Champions League qualifier on 4 or 11 August, with a possible opponent of Fenerbahce or Gornik Zabrze if they beat Sturm Graz. A loss would see them move into the Europa League, facing a range of clubs from Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Hungary or Azerbaijan.
Gary Anderson delivered a dominant performance, beating Ryan Joyce 10-2 to advance to the last‑16 of the World Matchplay in Blackpool. The Scottish 2018 champion hit high finishes of 144 and 141 and will face Jonny Clayton in the next round.
Swansea City are on the verge of completing a transfer for Motherwell winger Elijah Just, a 26‑year‑old New Zealand international who impressed at the World Cup. The move would see Swansea break Motherwell’s record fee and reunite Just with fellow Kiwi Marko Stamenic at the Welsh club.
Virat Kohli played a flamboyant innings of 74 from 60 balls in the third and final One Day International against England at Lord’s. The innings was described as “royal entertainment” and may mark his last appearance on English soil. England went on to win the match by 27 runs, sealing the series 2-1.
Ryan Fox kept his composure in scorching conditions at Royal Birkdale to secure his first major title, posting a two‑under 68 on the final day. The 39‑year‑old New Zealander surged from a joint‑85th place after round one to win by one stroke over Cameron Young, becoming the oldest first‑time major winner in three decades.
Rory McIlroy commented that Bryson DeChambeau’s participation in the Irish Open would boost the event, even though he admitted he is not particularly fond of the American golfer. He also explained that his interest in the PGA Tour has waned after completing his career Grand Slam.
Rohit Sharma made history by scoring the first ODI century by an Indian at Lord’s as India pursued 388 runs in the third and deciding match of the series against England. His knock was pivotal in the high‑scoring chase, marking a memorable moment for Indian cricket at the iconic venue.
Welsh rider Zoe Backstedt, aged 21, successfully defended her title at the 2026 Baloise Ladies Tour, securing overall victory with a total time of 11 hours 27.08 minutes. She won the stage 3A time trial and finished just one second ahead of Netherlands’ Nienke Veenhoven, with Felicity Wilson‑Haffenden and others close behind.
Stefanos Tsitsipas captured the Swiss Open title, his first ATP victory in 16 months, beating Belgium’s Raphael Collignon 6-4 6-7(3-7) 6-3. The win moves him up the rankings and marks his 13th career ATP title, including six on clay.
Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of global football development, said the three‑minute hydration breaks introduced at the 2026 World Cup have not been popular and will be reviewed after the tournament. He noted that while the breaks did not appear to affect match results, they have drawn criticism from fans and some coaches, and FIFA will analyse their impact.