Wales forward Elise Hughes says reaching the World Cup would fulfil a lifelong ambition, but stresses the team must stay focused on the upcoming play‑off second leg against Albania. Wales hold a 1‑0 lead from the first leg and a draw would be enough to advance to the next qualifying round.
Derry City secured a 2‑0 victory over Galway United in the FAI Cup semi‑final, with captain Michael Duffy netting both goals. The win puts them into the final at the Aviva Stadium, where they aim to add a seventh cup to their trophy cabinet.
Alessia Russo, the Arsenal forward, was voted England women’s player of the year, winning the award for the second time. She played a key role in the 2025‑26 campaign, featuring in all ten matches and scoring five goals, including a goal in England’s 3‑1 win over Greece in the World Cup play‑off semi‑final first leg.
Harry Kane provided two assists as Bayern Munich fought back to secure a 2-2 draw against Augsburg. The late comeback prevented a shock defeat but left the German champions unable to climb to the top of the Bundesliga table.
Rayo Vallecano’s home game against Athletic Club was halted and eventually abandoned when supporters threw paper planes and rubber balls onto the field to protest owner Raul Martin Presa. The incident occurred early in the match, leading officials to stop play and later call off the game with the score still 0-0.
Northern Ireland women’s team suffered a 4-0 defeat to Portugal in the first leg of the 2027 World Cup play-off semi-final at Inver Park, leaving them with a four‑goal deficit and virtually no chance of progressing. Manager Michael McArdle acknowledged the heavy loss but highlighted positives and the need to give younger players experience ahead of the second leg in Portugal.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that the planned move of the Africa Cup of Nations to a four‑year cycle is under review. At a strategy conference in Cape Verde, CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the organisation is considering keeping the tournament on a two‑year schedule.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho defended striker Kylian Mbappe after the French forward faced criticism for attending a Paris Fashion Week event and riding a bicycle during the international break. Mourinho described the media backlash as “ridiculous” and reiterated that Mbappe has fulfilled his obligations to the club.
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka, now playing for Sunderland, has been handed a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs for obtaining a forged Covid‑19 vaccination certificate in 2022. The fine is suspended for two years provided he commits no further offences, and he has already paid the court costs. He is expected to return to action for Sunderland against Brighton soon.
England women’s national team manager Sarina Wiegman added Ella Toone to the squad for the upcoming World Cup play‑off matches after defender Lucy Bronze pulled out with a minor injury. The squad will face Greece in Crete before a second leg at Leicester’s King Power Stadium, with the winner moving on to the final play‑off round for a spot at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.