List of All Articles with Tag 'sports'

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

A heat wave scorching the southern United States tested the resilience and resourcefulness of competitors, officials and spectators at a major youth baseball tournament in Louisiana

Bills safety Damar Hamlin is preparing to play in Buffalo’s preseason opener against Indianapolis on Saturday

Damar Hamlin has reached another major milestone in his return to football

Australia has edged France on penalty kicks to reach the Women’s World Cup semifinals for the first time

England face Colombia in the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals as the Lionesses continue their knockout campaign in Sydney. The European champions survived a major scare against Nigeria in the last-16, and know they will need to improve when they take on a dangerous Colombia side, who shocked heavyweights Germany in the group stages. Sarina Wiegman’s side are without star forward Lauren James, who is suspended for the quarter-final. James has been replaced in the line-up by Ella Toone. The Lionesses will know who could await them in the semi-finals before facing Colombia, as hosts Australia and France goes to penalties in Brisbane. There will be a new winner of the Women’s World Cup this year after Sweden knocked out Japan on Friday, setting up a clash with Spain on the other side of the draw. Follow live updates from the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals, and get the latest England vs Colombia odds here Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today England reach World Cup dividing line as Sarina Wiegman faces crunch decision How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

Barcelona says it has reached a transfer deal to send France forward Ousmane Dembélé to Paris Saint-Germain

Harry Kane shared a message to Tottenham Hotspur fans as he completed his transfer to Bayern Munich on Saturday (12 August). The England captain leaves north London after 19 years at Spurs, after becoming the club’s all-time record goalscorer last season. “This is a message to all you fans around the world, every single Tottenham fan that has supported me and been with me throughout my journey,” Kane said. “Me and my family will cherish it forever, we’ll never forget all the moments we’ve had together, so thank you. “It’s not a goodbye, because you never know how things pan out in the future... I’ll see you soon.” Read More ‘Kane deal imminent’: Spurs boss says star striker on his way to Bayern Munich De Zerbi has ‘already forgotten’ Caicedo as Chelsea and Liverpool fight for star Hull City manager moved to tears by fan’s letter after losing best friend

In the hours after Tottenham Hotspur finally agreed they would sell Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, there was actually some doubt, and a lot to consider. The player’s camp now had to actually go through with a decision that had been a long time coming, which only made it all the heavier in the moment. There was still some thinking that Real Madrid or Manchester United - Kane’s first choice - might come in now they knew Levy’s price. Even he wanted that higher going into the final hours. Those other bids didn’t happen, though, and it is now happening that Kane is leaving Spurs. Some within White Hart Lane couldn’t make sense of it, even though it had long been anticipated. A player who hailed as one of their own is no longer that. He’s gone. There is actually a sadness to that, in how the modern economy of football essentially forces players towards a narrow band of clubs. Spurs have once again been shown the reality of the game, although this is admittedly one where you can sympathise with some of the confusion. None of this is to disparage Bayern, one of the game’s great clubs, of the status that it is a genuine privilege to play for them. It is an honour to be their number-nine, following in the line of Gerd Muller, Jurgen Klinsmann and the player he most directly replaces in Robert Lewandowski. That will stand to Kane, especially as a rare high-profile English player to go abroad. In some ways, though, Bayern have been victims of the modern game as much as Spurs. Its distorted economics have given them a longer run of titles than they could have ever imagined, but with a cost. The more leagues they win, the less it means. Borussia Dortmund’s challenge last season should almost have been welcomed as it offered tension and significance. There’s then the manner that even Bayern have had to adapt to football’s new world, which is almost completely made up of the Premier League. This is where the real intrigue of the entire Kane situation lies. England’s captain and greatest star has left England when it has become almost the only place to be in football. That’s an irony only deepened by how a player commonly seen as the next great star, and a future captain in Jude Bellingham, is also employed outside. That point shouldn’t be taken as an old-fashioned parochial view, since it has generally been a positive thing for players to go and sample other football cultures and countries. Kane himself will doubtless benefit from that. It is healthy, even on a human level. The issue is how much the game has changed even in a decade. That world has become smaller, centred around England. Broadcasting figures illustrate how the Premier League has become the biggest show in town, “a football NBA”, in the words of one major club chief executive. “If you’re not there, you’re nowhere.” It’s not like Kane is going to Spain or Italy, either, the two most historically glamorous leagues that remain enriched by the nostalgia around them. Germany has always been the most unfashionable of the “big five”, although another consequence of the modern game is that term no longer really applies. It is the Premier League and some satellite clubs, one of them being Bayern. They will almost certainly allow Kane to claim that first medal of his career, but does it have the same value? For Kane’s part, that won’t matter if he’s looking at that medal. There’s also the fact that some of the more confusing aspects of this transfer are a logical consequence of how the game has gone. Levy is determined to gradually push Spurs into the elite bracket of super-clubs, even if so many supporters would fairly question the manner he goes about that. To the Tottenham chairman, though, it makes no sense to allow one of the clubs they see as direct rivals to strengthen at their expense. A club is always falling behind in that way. It is where there is even more intrigue to this transfer, though. While the public perception has been that Levy did not want to sell, some in the industry believe it has been more driven from within Spurs than would be expected. This allows the club a degree of control over the transfer, as well as - crucially - income. The great question from Kane’s part is why he has ceded that control. His leverage will never be greater. A contract with a year to go is the point of maximum opportunity for a player. His first choice was clearly Manchester United. The entire England squad were talking about it in the June camp. He has instead given that power up. That, admittedly, is partly about something greater. This isn’t about just getting Bundesligas, after all. Bayern have sold Kane a vision of winning the Champions League with him. They have quietly gone about building one of the most vibrant squads in Europe, but were just lacking experience last season as well as a finisher after Robert Lewandowski. They now have both in Kane. Him bringing them to a moment of completion such as Champions League glory would be worth it all. There is even the possibility that he could do two seasons at Bayern then go back to the Premier League club of his choosing, given how he looks after his body. This is another facet of Kane’s career. He sees Tom Brady as an idol, and is one of those who will do absolutely everything physically possible to maximise his talent. Except, many have long said, what is really necessary: go to a winning club. That is now happening. There is an undeniable poignancy to it, that should be felt beyond Spurs. More clubs should be able to compete. It shouldn’t always be so inevitable that such players leave. That is the nature of football’s economy now, as this transfer sums up, even if some of it seems to go against the modern game. Read More Harry Kane sends message to Tottenham fans as Bayern move confirmed Harry Kane saga leaves Tottenham paying the price for Daniel Levy’s ‘ego’ — again Premier League record scorers: How many goals do Alan Shearer and Harry Kane have? Harry Kane’s highs and lows at Tottenham as he signs with Bayern Munich Where Harry Kane’s big-money move stands in British football history 5 English success stories Harry Kane will look to emulate in Germany

England captain Harry Kane has confirmed he is leaving Tottenham

Special prosecutors in Switzerland are closing a years-long probe of the former attorney general who had undisclosed meetings with FIFA president Gianni Infantino during a sweeping investigation of international soccer

Anthony Joshua will fight Robert Helenius on short notice tonight, after the Briton’s rematch with Dillian Whyte collapsed due to an adverse drug-test finding. Joshua knocked out Whyte in 2015, avenging an amateur loss to his compatriot, and the old rivals were due to square off again this week. However, Whyte failed an anti-doping test, causing the bout to be called off. Now in comes Helenius, saving the weekend’s event as the Finn competes for the second time in seven days. Helenius, 39, beat Mika Mielonen in the third round last week, in what might have been a useful warm-up for his clash with “AJ”. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites offers Meanwhile, 33-year-old Joshua last fought in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points to bounce back from two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua’s rematch with Whyte was meant to be the next step on the road to a fight with Deontay Wilder, and that contest is still in the works for early 2024. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is it? Joshua vs Helenius will take place on Saturday 12 August at the O2 Arena in London. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will stream live on Dazn. A subscription to the streaming platform is available to purchase here, with monthly plans starting at £9.99. Odds Joshua – 1/18 Helenius – 25/1 Draw – 17/2 Full odds via Betfair. Full card (subject to change) Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius (heavyweight) Filip Hrgovic vs Demsey McKean (heavyweight) Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong (heavyweight) Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington (heavyweight) Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell (super-lightweight) George Liddard vs Bas Oosterweghel (middleweight) Brandon Scott vs Louis Norman (featherweight) Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg (super-flyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish star stepping up to face Anthony Joshua Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’ Who is fighting on the Joshua vs Helenius undercard tonight? How to watch Joshua vs Helenius online and on TV tonight Anthony Joshua focused only on Robert Helenius amid Deontay Wilder speculation