Match results
Match reports, scores, post-match analysis.
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Ismail Elfath named referee for England v Argentina World Cup semi-final
American official Ismail Elfath will take charge of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday. The 44-year-old has previous connections to Lionel Messi's biggest trophy wins.
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Ruiz mocks Olise in dressing room as Spain reach World Cup final with 2-0 win over France
Spain booked their place in the World Cup final with a 2-0 victory over France, goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealing the win. Dressing-room footage captured Fabian Ruiz taunting Marc Cucurella to take Michael Olise 'out of your pocket' after the Bayern Munich winger endured a quiet night.
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Mbappé blames tactics and his own display as France fall short against Spain
Kylian Mbappé took responsibility for France's 2-0 semifinal defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup, criticising the team's sloppy technical play, poor midfield setup, and his own inability to create chances.
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Michael Page returns to middleweight to face Ruziboev at UFC Paris in September
Michael Page will step back up to middleweight to face Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris on September 5 at Accor Arena, the UFC confirmed on Wednesday. The bout comes just months after Page's welterweight return at UFC London, where he defeated Sam Patterson.
MMA -
FIFA grants Mercedes branding exemption as England vs Argentina kicks off on schedule in Atlanta
England's World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta will start as scheduled at 8pm UK time, with stadium officials confirming the retractable roof eliminates any weather risk. FIFA has also been forced to grant a rare advertising exemption after the venue's enormous Mercedes logo proved impossible to safely cover.
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Eliminated by Spain, France plays first third-place match since 1986
Beaten 0-2 by Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, Kylian Mbappé's France will face the loser of the England-Argentina clash on Saturday in Miami for third place, a situation unseen for forty years.
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Topuria's shock loss to Gaethje jolts Anthony Joshua into career rethink
Anthony Joshua says watching Justin Gaethje dismantle Ilia Topuria at UFC White House forced him to reassess his own approach to boxing, cutting distractions and refocusing ahead of his July 25 fight with Kristian Prenga.
MMA -
Tchouaméni Heavily Criticized After World Cup Semifinal Loss to Spain
Starting in France's 0-2 defeat to Spain in the World Cup semifinal, Aurélien Tchouaméni delivered a heavily criticized performance, notably for his overly defensive positioning in midfield.
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Yamal's Barcelona home targeted by burglars hours after Spain's World Cup semi-final win
Lamine Yamal's home in Barcelona was targeted by robbers shortly after Spain's 2-0 victory over France in the World Cup semi-finals. The attempted burglary was foiled by the 19-year-old's security team, who spotted two hooded individuals and alerted police.
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England rugby squad hides team kit in Buenos Aires ahead of football World Cup semi-final
Steve Borthwick's squad are avoiding England-branded clothing in public in Buenos Aires as football World Cup fever grips the city. Wing Tommy Freeman warns Saturday's rugby Test against Argentina could turn hostile if England's footballers beat the Pumas in their semi-final.
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Faf de Klerk set for first South African club game in a decade with Cheetahs debut
Double World Cup winner Faf de Klerk will make his Cheetahs debut in the Currie Cup against the Lions on Sunday, his first club appearance in South Africa in almost ten years after stints with Sale Sharks and Yokohama Canon Eagles.
Rugby -
Bellingham backed Messi for Ballon d'Or despite Argentine's Kopa Trophy snub
Jude Bellingham publicly endorsed Lionel Messi for the 2023 Ballon d'Or even after Messi ranked him only third in the Kopa Trophy vote. The two now meet as World Cup semi-final opponents, with Messi leading the tournament's scoring charts on eight goals and Bellingham setting an England record with six.
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USA Women's Eagles climb back to eighth in World Rugby rankings after defeating Springboks in Pretoria
The USA Women's Eagles have returned to eighth in the World Rugby rankings after a 26-19 victory over the Springbok Women in Pretoria, reversing the damage done by a 34-21 defeat in Johannesburg the previous week.
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Mikel blames Ronaldo fans for Argentina-FIFA conspiracy theories ahead of England semi-final
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has dismissed claims that FIFA are favouring Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, attributing the narrative to Cristiano Ronaldo supporters on social media. England face Argentina in Miami on Wednesday in a World Cup semi-final.
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Lizarazu slams France after Spain defeat: "a huge individual collapse"
Eliminated in the World Cup 2026 semi-final by Spain (0-2), France faced criticism from Bixente Lizarazu, who highlighted the failures of Olise, Dembélé and Tchouaméni.
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Paraguayan senator mocks France's World Cup 2026 elimination, under investigation in Paris
Celeste Amarilla, already under investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office for racist remarks against Kylian Mbappé, posted mocking messages on X after France's 2-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-final.
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Argentina vice-president brands England 'usurping pirates' ahead of World Cup semi-final
Victoria Villarruel, Argentina's vice-president, inflamed tensions before Wednesday's World Cup semi-final by posting a fiery message on X invoking the Falklands conflict, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni distanced himself, calling any mix of sport and politics 'madness'.
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American referee Elfath to take charge of England vs Argentina World Cup semifinal
Ismail Elfath will officiate the World Cup 2026 semifinal between England and Argentina in Atlanta on July 15, with the Moroccan-born American having a strong record in matches involving Lionel Messi.
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England vs Argentina semi-final to start on time despite Atlanta thunderstorm fears
Atlanta Stadium officials have confirmed England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina will kick off as scheduled at 8pm UK time on Wednesday, with the venue's retractable roof eliminating any weather-related delay risk.
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Mbappe falls short of Cafu's record as Spain end France's World Cup run in semi-finals
Kylian Mbappe missed the chance to become only the second player in history to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals after France were beaten by Spain in the semi-finals. Only Brazil legend Cafu, who played in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 finals, holds that distinction.
Football