‘This isn’t normal in football’: Xisco, Malaysia and the new Invincibles

The royal family-backed Johor Darul Ta’zim will break a world record if they reach 109 league games unbeaten on Friday and their former Watford manager is aiming higher

March, May and more: footballers scoring in months that match their names

Plus: goalkeepers sent off far from their penalty area, and the fastest spot-kicks ever awarded

From the Pocket: Sydney Swans’ cultural exceptionalism has been exposed as a myth

Claims around ‘Bloods Culture’ have been made to look like nothing more than a marketing hook this week but to their credit neither the club nor the AFL shirked responsibility

Nestory Irankunda says Pauline Hanson’s Socceroos monocultural claim made ‘us boys angry’

Socceroos forward says the One Nation leader’s comments during the World Cup made him ‘emotional’

Premier League 2026-27 preview No 15: Manchester City

With the departures of Pep Guardiola and Rodri it looks like the end of an era at City. Will Enzo Maresca be able to sustain their position as a domestic and continental superpower?

In Zavier Gozo, Crystal Palace land a US prospect living up to the hype

The 19-year-old US youth international has turned heads in MLS this year, and is on the cusp of a USMNT breakthrough

Lisa Nandy urges deal to keep Rugby League World Cup on free-to-air TV

The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has spoken out after it emerged that this year’s Rugby League World Cup will not be shown on the BBC

Barcelona steal Rodri away from Real Madrid and plan to make him new Busquets

Spain’s World Cup-winning captain has completed his move to Camp Nou where he is a natural successor to club legend

Self-saboteurs England and Pakistan face off in ‘El Dysfunctiono’ series

With Pakistan at a low ebb and England at the start of their semi-reset the series at Headingly looks to be an interesting one

Pep’s final act of passion: Amazon’s revealing Guardiola series pulls no punches

From the manager’s divorce to tension with the club hierarchy, new documentary is an honest portrayal of his difficult last two seasons

Jeff Bezos consortium could be majority Liverpool shareholder within a year

1892 Holdings has first refusal to take over Liverpool if FSG opts to sell in the next 12 months, as part of the £2bn-plus deal for a 38% initial stake

Transfer roundup: Dedic completes £29.5m Newcastle move, Wan-Bissaka loaned to Villa

Amar Dedic has joined Newcastle from Benfica in a £29.5m transfer while Aston Villa have agreed a deal with West Ham to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka on loan

Israel withdraws support for embattled Fifa president Gianni Infantino

The Israel Football Association blamed an ‘unprecedented crisis of confidence’ and lack of ‘proper vision’ in retracting its backing for Fifa’s Gianni Infantino

San Diego Padres minor-league staffer detained by ICE after arrest in Texas

Padres catching coordinator was stopped at an El Paso airport while returning from a work trip as his family and DHS disputed his immigration status

Tour of Britain Women begins under cloud but with hope of stronger future

Women’s peloton returns after death of Finlay Tarling, who died during the Volta a Portugal last week