66 h. ago Premier League buildup, EFL, Afcon last 16 and Paris derby – as it happened

News and buildup to the day’s action ahead of six Premier League games and more last-16 ties at AfconHave you played On the Ball – our new football game exclusive to the Guardian app? The daily puzzle involves guessing the identity of Premier League footballers, past and present.My score I fluked it a bit this time due to the answer being a player I was a big fan of. My score of 65 puts me in the top 10% of players today apparently. Better than yesterday’s abysmal effort with Emile Heskey. Continue reading...

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68 h. ago Premier League buildup, EFL postponements, Afcon last 16 and Paris derby – matchday live

⚽ News, discussion and previews before Sunday’s action⚽ Get in touch by emailing us here or comment BTLHave you played On the Ball – our new football game exclusive to the Guardian app? The daily puzzle involves guessing the identity of Premier League footballers, past and present.My score I fluked it a bit this time due to the answer being a player I was a big fan of. My score of 65 puts me in the top 10% of players today apparently. Better than yesterday’s abysmal effort with Emile Heskey. Continue reading...

Politics

69 h. ago Premier League buildup, EFL postponement, Afcon last 16 and Paris derby – matchday live

⚽ News, discussion and previews before Sunday’s action⚽ Get in touch by emailing us here or comment BTLDoncaster have announced their Sky Bet League One clash with Luton has been postponed because of a partially frozen pitch at the Eco-Power Stadium. Second-bottom Doncaster announced on Saturday a pitch inspection would take place around 8:30am on Sunday morning, with frost sheets and lighting rigs used this week to offset the cold weather.However, despite “extensive efforts” to get the game on, Rovers announced it had been called off and a rearranged date will be announced in due course. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago Premier League buildup, La Liga, Afcon last 16 and Celtic v Rangers – matchday live

⚽ News, discussion and previews before the day’s action⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Get in touchHeading to a Premier League match today? Or perhaps you’ve made a maverick trip to the Afcon? Send your thoughts and hopes to matchday.live@theguardian.comHello. It’s (checks diary) Saturday. After the festive confusion, it’s now day three in the 2026 house although just four Premier League fixtures today suggests a routine hasn’t yet been established. Still, for many out there, this is the final weekend of the holiday so a chance to head to the match. Continue reading...

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4 d. ago Liam Rosenior addresses Chelsea ‘noise’, Pascal Gross seals Brighton return: football news – live

⚽ Read Jacob Steinberg on Maresca’s Chelsea departure⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Email JohnEddie Howe is having none of the idea that Newcastle have no plan B, reports PA Media, and rejected suggestions they were under the cosh in their win at Burnley.Howe bristled at suggestions they had come under an onslaught at Turf Moor and there was nothing they could do about it. He said: “An onslaught? What, against us? Have you seen the stats of the game? You must have been watching a different game then. There was no onslaught.“Yes, we had moments, of course. We had moments the other way. I would never describe it as that. If it was an onslaught, I’d give you my opinion and say, ‘Yes, I thought it was’. Continue reading...

Sport

4 d. ago Liam Rosenior on Chelsea ‘noise’, Füllkrug joins Milan on loan: football news – live

⚽ Read Jacob Steinberg on Maresca’s Chelsea departure⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Email TomEddie Howe is having none of the idea that Newcastle have no plan B, reports PA Media, and rejected suggestions they were under the cosh in their win at Burnley.Howe bristled at suggestions they had come under an onslaught at Turf Moor and there was nothing they could do about it. He said: “An onslaught? What, against us? Have you seen the stats of the game? You must have been watching a different game then. There was no onslaught.“Yes, we had moments, of course. We had moments the other way. I would never describe it as that. If it was an onslaught, I’d give you my opinion and say, ‘Yes, I thought it was’. Continue reading...

Sport

4 d. ago Chelsea manager latest, Füllkrug joins Milan on loan, and more: football news – live

⚽ Read Jacob Steinberg on Maresca’s Chelsea departure⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Email JohnEddie Howe is having none of the idea that Newcastle have no plan B, reports PA Media, and rejected suggestions they were under the cosh in their win at Burnley.Howe bristled at suggestions they had come under an onslaught at Turf Moor and there was nothing they could do about it. He said: “An onslaught? What, against us? Have you seen the stats of the game? You must have been watching a different game then. There was no onslaught.“Yes, we had moments, of course. We had moments the other way. I would never describe it as that. If it was an onslaught, I’d give you my opinion and say, ‘Yes, I thought it was’. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago Chelsea manager latest, transfer updates and more: football news – live

⚽ Read Jacob Steinberg on Maresca’s Chelsea departure⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Email TahaSo Enzo Maresca has left the building. It was a very decent stint on paper, one with two trophies, including a Club World Cup victory which may grow in significance if the tournament becomes a properly serious thing in the future. But it was pretty turbulent, too; Jacob Steinberg has the inside story on what went wrong.Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the first Friday blog of 2026. We’ve already had some drama at Stamford Bridge with the departure of Enzo Maresca, and there’s plenty of Premier League action to review/preview. But let’s just ease up before going full throttle and take in this excellent interview with Jess Carter, the Guardian Footballer of the Year.A lot of people don’t like the way I play football and that’s absolutely fine, but then attacking someone because of what they look like? I can’t do anything about that one, and I wouldn’t want to. I could never ...

Sport

9 d. ago Premier League and Afcon buildup, plus latest news – matchday live

News, discussion and buildup to the day’s actionGet in touch! Email us with your thoughts hereWissa needs more time to get over knee injuryYoane Wissa is still not ready to make regular starts for Newcastle but Eddie Howe is keen to find the Congolese striker more opportunities in the coming weeks.I think with Yoane, we’ve got to look after him, he’s still relatively early in his return. He did really well in his one start against Fulham, I was really pleased with him that day and there’ll be other opportunities.The problem for us is with our schedule playing every three, four days, I don’t think he’s in a condition where he could start regularly at the moment. Hopefully we can manage him to that point at some stage. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Premier League buildup, tributes to John Robertson at Forest and latest news – matchday live

News, discussion and buildup to the day’s actionGet in touch! Email us with your thoughts hereA few Optas ahead of today’s 12:30pm kick-off between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. The Dyche v Guardiola one doesn’t bode well for those hoping for an upset.● Nottingham Forest won their last Premier League match against Man City 1-0 in March last season, last winning consecutive league games against the Citizens in September 1995. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Premier League buildup, Old Trafford reaction and latest news – matchday live

News, discussion and buildup to the day’s actionGet in touch! Email us with your thoughts hereA few Optas ahead of today’s 12:30pm kick-off between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. The Dyche v Guardiola one doesn’t bode well for those hoping for an upset.● Nottingham Forest won their last Premier League match against Man City 1-0 in March last season, last winning consecutive league games against the Citizens in September 1995. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Birmingham v Derby, Premier League and Afcon buildup and John Robertson tributes – matchday live

⚽ All the latest ahead of today’s festive fixtures⚽ John Robertson, Forest and Scotland legend, dies aged 72⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail TomA reminder that this is what CFG’s chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, said back in 2019 when they bought Mumbai City:We believe this investment will deliver transformative benefits to Mumbai City FC, to City Football Group and to Indian football as a whole. City Football Group is committed to the future of football in India and to the potential for Mumbai City FC within that future. We are very much looking forward to playing an active role in Mumbai City FC’s fan and local communities, and working with our co-owners to further develop the club as quickly as possible. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Premier League, EFL and Afcon buildup and John Robertson tributes – matchday live

⚽ All the latest ahead of today’s festive fixtures⚽ John Robertson, Forest and Scotland legend, dies aged 72⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail MichaelFirst they come for Boxing Day, now the 3pm blackout. Do these people have no respect?The relative lack of Premier League football does however give the Football League (and non league) a festive time to shine. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Hearts v Rangers, European action and Afcon begins – matchday live

⚽ Discussion, news and buildup to all Sunday’s action⚽ Live scores | Tables | Saturday’s reports | Mail us hereThere’s some interesting debate raging below the line about the tempestuous meeting between Tottenham and Liverpool last night, where Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero were sent off but Micky van de Ven, whose challenge ended Alexander Isak’s involvement was not.Thomas Frank was certainly of the view that Simons sending off was unjust. “I don’t like those types of red card because I think the game is gone if that’s a red card,” he told the BBC soon after the game finished. “I don’t think it’s a reckless tackle. I don’t think it’s exceptional force. We have the referee’s call and that was a yellow, so that’s why I don’t think that’s a red.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Premier League buildup and latest football news – matchday live

⚽ All the latest in the buildup to Saturday’s action⚽ Ten things to look out for | Tables | Mail us hereGood morning all and welcome to another of our matchday live blogs. It’s Saturday morning so that can only mean one thing – buildup! And we can safely called it a bumper day of action with no less than eight Premier League games, starting with Newcastle v Chelsea at 12.30pm, heading into the four 3pm kick-offs, Tottenham v Liverpool at 5.30pm and then two 8pm games: Everton v Arsenal and Leeds v Crystal Palace (all times GMT).There is also a full schedule of games in the Scottish Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two, plus lower down the pyramids and in Spain, Germany and beyond too. See – bumper. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Manchester City v Aston Villa, Brighton v Chelsea and more: WSL clockwatch – live

⚽ All the latest from Sunday’s matches⚽ Email Emillia with your thoughtsThere was just one fixture in the WSL yesterday as Arsenal travelled to Goodison Park to take on Everton. Tom Garry was at one Smith erases any doubts for Arsenal to seal victory at Everton Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago Sunderland v Newcastle buildup, WSL and Premier League news, and more – matchday live

⚽ All the latest news before Sunday’s live action⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Read Football Daily | Mail usThere was just one fixture in the WSL yesterday as Arsenal travelled to Goodison Park to take on Everton. Tom Garry was at one Smith erases any doubts for Arsenal to seal victory at Everton Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Premier League news, reaction to Arsenal drama and Salah’s return, WSL buildup and more – matchday live

⚽ Latest news pre-match buildup ⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Read Football Daily | Mail usFootball Association to pass on fan anger over World Cup ticket pricesThe Football Association will pass on England supporters’ concerns about high 2026 World Cup ticket prices to Fifa. However, despite the growing outrage, it is understood none of the international federations expect world football’s governing body to change its policy. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Salah back in Liverpool fray after Slot talks, Premier League buildup and more – matchday live

⚽ All the latest pre-match news, previews and updates⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Read Football Daily | And mail usLiverpool v Brighton: The reaction from Salah’s comments in the UK and in his home country could not be on two further ends of the spectrum.The true measure of Salah’s cultural weight became clear in the breadth of national conversation, as talk around his interview spilled beyond the confines of football punditry. One of Egypt’s most known news presenters, Amr Adib, whose loud, brash political and economic opinions often go viral for all the wrong reasons, staunchly came to Salah’s defence. Political commentators dissected Salah’s words through the lens of negotiation tactics. Even YouTube film critics and foodie TikTokers felt compelled to offer their analysis. “It feels as if every public voice has an opinion to air,” says the president of one of Liverpool’s oldest fanclubs in Egypt, Ahmed Fahmy. “The dramatics of it all proves that a crisis involving Salah is a crisis fo...

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