Tenth seeds Virginia have become the first ever First Four team to reach the NCAA women’s Sweet 16 after stunning hosts Iowa 83-75 in double overtime.
The Cavaliers secured their third victory in just five days by overcoming the second-seeded Hawkeyes in front of a capacity crowd of 14,332 in Iowa City.
Kymora Johnson delivered a standout performance for the visitors, scoring 14 of her game-high 28 points during the two additional periods.
It marks the first time the Charlottesville programme has advanced to the second weekend of the tournament since 2000.
Missed opportunities for the hosts
Iowa had multiple chances to seal the game before the second overtime period was required.
Chazadi Wright failed to connect on a turnaround jumper with just one second remaining in regulation time.
The hosts were similarly frustrated at the conclusion of the first overtime when Taylor Stremlow missed a three-pointer and Ava Heiden could not convert the follow-up attempt.
Heiden had otherwise been exceptional for the home side, leading her team with 26 points despite picking up two early fouls.
Gruelling schedule yields historic run
To reach this stage, the resilient 10th seeds had already navigated a narrow 57-55 triumph over Arizona State on Thursday before defeating Georgia in overtime on Saturday.
Paris Clark contributed 20 vital points for the history-making squad, while Romi Levy added 13 to help maintain their remarkable postseason momentum.
The last time a 10-seed reached this stage of the competition was in 2022, when Creighton remarkably also eliminated Iowa in the second round.
Virginia will now travel to the Sacramento Regional 4 semifinals to face third seeds TCU.
FIFA has unexpectedly cancelled thousands of hotel room reservations in 2026 World Cup host cities, including Philadelphia and Mexico City, without providing an official explanation.
Approximately 2,000 bookings have been released by football’s global governing body at venues across Philadelphia.
This significant reduction comes from an original block of roughly 10,000 rooms previously secured by the organisation.
Cancellations spread across North America
The Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association confirmed the bulk of these adjustments occurred at four City Center locations.
President Ed Grose noted that the governing body acted entirely within its contractual rights and faces no financial penalties.
Similar reductions are reportedly impacting other designated tournament venues across the United States.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that 40 percent of reserved accommodations in Mexico City had also been dropped.
Overbooking precautions suspected
Alberto Albarrán Leyva, director general of the Mexican capital’s hotel association, stated that 800 out of 2,000 rooms were recently released.
The Mexican official cautioned against reading too much into the decision, suggesting the initial figures were merely a conservative precaution.
“FIFA booked 2,000 rooms months ago to prevent running short and guarantee its operation.”
“Over time, it canceled some reservations because it realized that it was no longer going to use them.”
Impact on travelling supporters
The release of these extensive blocks could provide a welcome boost for independent fans attempting to secure their own accommodation.
Grose encouraged supporters not to delay booking their stays, despite uncertainty over how these sudden cancellations might influence local market prices.
“These are rooms that are going to be put back out on the marketplace and sold to fans who want to come to Philadelphia.”
Between five and six and a half million spectators are anticipated to attend the expanded 48-team tournament across the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva is preparing to leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season when his current contract expires, capping off a trophy-laden nine-year spell.
The Portuguese midfielder delivered another tireless performance against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, highlighting his enduring importance to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Despite modest attacking returns of three goals and five assists – coupled with 12 bookings and a red card – in 42 appearances this season, his true value extends far beyond basic statistics.
The veteran playmaker remains one of the most industrious and reliable figures in the Premier League.
A relentless engine in midfield
Data shows the 31-year-old has recorded four of the top seven distances covered by any player in a single top-flight fixture.
He joins an elite group alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Pascal Gross as the only individuals to surpass 13 kilometres in a single domestic match.
Working in perfect tandem with Rodri, the former Monaco man consistently dictated the tempo and rarely surrendered possession against the Gunners at Wembley.
This dominant display showcased his immense character, coming immediately after being sent off during City’s recent Champions League exit against Real Madrid.
Guardiola’s trusted lieutenant
The decision to award him the captain’s armband reflects his unwavering tactical discipline and streetwise nature on the pitch.
Securing his fifth Carabao Cup medal takes his remarkable tally to 15 major honours since arriving in Manchester.
While his mastery of the tactical foul has occasionally frustrated opponents, it has been a vital component of his team’s sustained domestic dominance.
As the campaign reaches its climax, the inevitable departure of this unique talent will undoubtedly leave a significant void in the reigning champions’ squad.
The Premier League could have an unprecedented seven teams in next season’s Champions League and up to 11 clubs competing in Europe overall.
The remarkable scenario depends on a combination of domestic league finishes and English success in continental finals.
Despite a difficult week that saw four domestic sides eliminated from the Champions League last 16, hope remains for a record-breaking European contingent.
How seven teams could reach the Champions League
England must first retain its extra qualification spot through UEFA’s coefficient rankings.
A fifth-placed finish for Liverpool, combined with the Merseyside club winning this season’s Champions League, would theoretically pass an automatic spot down to sixth place.
If Aston Villa occupy that sixth position and lift the Europa League trophy, they would also secure automatic entry into Europe’s elite competition.
This cascading effect would allow the team finishing seventh, a position currently held by Brentford, to claim the final Champions League berth.
The path to 11 English clubs in Europe
More than half of the top flight could be playing continental football in the 2026-27 campaign if these complex permutations align.
Seven Champions League representatives would push the two standard Europa League places and single Conference League spot down to tenth in the domestic table.
Crystal Palace could add an eleventh entry if the South London side win the current Conference League campaign.
To achieve this extraordinary total, the Eagles would need to lift the trophy while finishing outside the top ten domestic places.
Coefficient battles remain crucial
England currently leads the coefficient rankings alongside Spain in the race for an additional Champions League allocation.
Earning this vital fifth spot relies heavily on accumulating points from victories and draws across all three continental tournaments.
The primary threat to this English dominance stems from having only two clubs left in the most lucrative top-tier competition.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has signed a three-year contract extension worth $54.7m, ending speculation over his potential retirement from the NFL.
The veteran pass-catcher had been heavily linked with stepping away from the sport following the conclusion of his 13th season.
However, the three-time Super Bowl winner recently confirmed his unwavering intention to remain with the reigning champions.
Lucrative financial terms secured
Details of the lucrative new package were confirmed on Monday as the franchise secured their premier offensive weapon.
He has agreed a $54.735m deal potentially worth up to $57.735m.
Ian Rapoport, NFL Network
This substantial investment ensures the future Hall of Famer remains a fundamental pillar of Andy Reid’s high-powered offense.
Chasing further historic milestones
The prolific route-runner is now preparing to enter his 14th professional campaign.
He has spent his entire illustrious career with the Missouri-based franchise since being drafted.
His unparalleled chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been instrumental in establishing the team as a preeminent modern dynasty.
By securing their star player on a multi-year deal, Kansas City have firmly signalled their intent to pursue further unprecedented championship success.
Zinedine Zidane has reached a verbal agreement to succeed Didier Deschamps as the manager of the France national team following the World Cup.
The 53-year-old is understood to have struck a deal with the French Football Federation to take over the prestigious international role.
Deschamps has been at the helm of Les Bleus since 2012, guiding his country through a highly successful modern era.
However, the eventual appointment of his former international team-mate to the top job has been widely anticipated for several years.
Glittering managerial pedigree
The revered tactician has been out of management for nearly five years following his departure from Real Madrid in 2021.
During his initial spell at the Bernabeu, he achieved unprecedented success by winning the Champions League in three consecutive seasons.
The Frenchman masterfully handled a squad of global superstars in Spain, extracting peak performances from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric.
He returned for a second stint less than a year after his 2018 resignation to guide Los Blancos to the 2019-20 La Liga title.
An iconic playing legacy
Transitioning to international management offers a fitting new chapter for a man who enjoyed a legendary playing career for his country.
The elegant midfielder was instrumental in securing global glory for Les Bleus in 1998, a triumph that earned him the prestigious Ballon d’Or.
He was also named FIFA World Player of the Year on three separate occasions during his dominant era on the pitch.
His final professional appearance notoriously ended in a red card after headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final defeat.
Highly-rated forward Karim Lopez has declared for the NBA draft, aiming to become the first Mexican-born player selected in the first round after an impressive stint in the Australian NBL.
The 19-year-old spent the past two seasons developing with the New Zealand Breakers, culminating in an Ignite Cup tournament victory in February.
Standing at 6ft 9in with a towering 7ft 1in wingspan, the teenage prospect is currently ranked 11th on the latest draft boards.
Record-breaking NBL season
Overcoming a summer back injury, the versatile wing enjoyed a breakout campaign during his second year in the Southern Hemisphere.
He averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds across 25.6 minutes per game while shooting an efficient 49% from the field.
The Hermosillo native also established a new single-season points record for draft-eligible NBL Next Stars, accumulating 358 points in 30 starts.
“It’s been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA.” – Karim Lopez
Inspiring the next generation
Scouts have been heavily drawn to the former Joventut Badalona player’s unique combination of positional size, playmaking ability, and physical toughness.
However, evaluators note that his perimeter shooting and explosiveness will need further refinement ahead of the draft combine in Chicago this May.
The son of former national team player Jesús Hiram Lopez, the young star hopes his historic journey will motivate aspiring athletes back home.
“A goal of mine is to hopefully reach young people in Mexico, trying to grow the sport and inspire athletes to follow their dreams.” – Karim Lopez
The highly-anticipated NBA draft selection process is officially scheduled to take place in late June.
Swedish fourth-tier club BK Forward are mourning the death of 20-year-old goalkeeper Hugo Mosshagen, who was fatally shot in Orebro late on Saturday night.
Police were alerted to an incident in a residential area west of the city just before midnight.
The young shot-stopper was rushed to hospital, but medical staff were unable to save his life.
Police investigate potential mistaken identity
Authorities have confirmed that the victim had no prior criminal record.
Investigators suspect he had no connections to local gang networks, raising concerns this may have been a tragic case of mistaken identity.
No arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting at this time.
Club pays tribute to ‘talented’ teammate
The Div 2 Norra Gotaland side released an emotional statement on social media to honour their departed player.
Teammates gathered at the Trängens IP stadium, where his shirt and gloves were hung in the dressing room alongside candles and flowers.
We are mourning a very nice and talented goalkeeper, a valued teammate and friend.
The club added that the despair is profound over the senseless violence that took his life.
Family remembers professional dream
Hundreds of mourners joined the player’s family at a local City Church to pay their respects.
Faith and football were central pillars of the promising athlete’s life.
His mother, Marie Mosshagen, shared her belief that her son is now at peace.
We feel that he is with God. We know that he is doing well up there.
His father, Joakim Gunnarsson, revealed the 20-year-old had dedicated all his time to pursuing a career in the professional game.