The Football Association will withhold the cheapest tier of tickets for England’s 2026 World Cup matches until the day before kick-off to prevent them from being sold at inflated prices on secondary markets.

Thomas Tuchel’s side begin their campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, backed by thousands of travelling supporters.

However, global governing body Fifa has faced heavy criticism regarding its ticketing strategy for the tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Many fans have been forced to pay exorbitant sums just to secure a seat at the highly anticipated fixtures.

Combating the secondary market

To protect supporters, the English governing body has secured hundreds of entry-tier tickets priced at £45.

These affordable options will intentionally be kept off the market until 24 hours before the fixture.

The delayed release is designed to stop touts from purchasing the allocations and listing them on resale websites at a massive markup.

Fifa defends ticketing policy

Fifa maintains that United States legislation compels them to allow tickets to be resold at any price point.

The international organisers currently take a 30 per cent commission from every transaction processed through their official resale platform.

President Gianni Infantino has staunchly defended the cost of attending the finals, citing unprecedented global demand.

“If you sell it at a lower price point in this particular market it would have gone in secondary markets at much, much, much higher prices,” Gianni Infantino

The Swiss administrator argued that under-pricing tickets would simply funnel money toward black-market operators rather than reinvesting it into the sport.

Legal challenges and market comparisons

Several states across the US have launched legal investigations into the ticketing procedures, but Fifa remains unconcerned.

“If we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong as well,” Gianni Infantino

The 54-year-old president compared the surging costs to other major American sporting events, noting similar trends during the NBA Finals.

Shemaine Campbelle struck an emotional, unbeaten 90 as the West Indies defeated defending champions New Zealand by seven wickets with just one ball remaining in their Women’s T20 World Cup opener in Southampton.

Chasing 163 for victory, the Caribbean side reached their target in dramatic fashion during a tense final over.

Experienced all-rounder Sophie Devine was tasked with defending six runs from the last six deliveries.

With the scores level, Campbelle handed the strike to 20-year-old Jahzara Claxton, and the pair scrambled a bye from the penultimate ball to seal a famous win.

Campbelle ends long wait for half-century

The match-winning knock held immense personal significance for the veteran wicketkeeper-batter.

Campbelle was visibly emotional upon securing the victory, having registered her maiden T20 international half-century after an astonishing 122 matches.

Her heroic innings was heavily supported by star captain Hayley Matthews, who capitalised on early fielding errors by the opposition.

The White Ferns will bitterly regret dropping the destructive opener on just nine, allowing her to build a crucial foundation with a rapid 48.

White Ferns falter despite competitive total

Earlier in the day, the defending champions posted a respectable 162-6 despite suffering a sudden top-order collapse.

The title holders slipped rapidly from 49-0 to 56-3 before middle-order batters Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green stabilised the innings.

Halliday top-scored with 40 and Green added 35, building on Izzy Gaze’s brisk 39 during the powerplay.

However, Aaliyah Alleyne proved to be the standout bowler for the Windies, claiming brilliant figures of 4-27 to restrict the scoring rate.

Group 2 blown wide open

This dramatic result immediately reshapes the landscape of Group 2, creating a highly competitive race for the knockout stages.

With tournament heavyweights England widely considered favourites to secure top spot, the battle for the second qualification place is now fiercely contested.

The Caribbean outfit have taken a massive step toward the semi-finals, leaving the reigning champions under immediate pressure in their title defence.

Ticketmaster has confirmed that valid tickets held by New York Knicks fans for Game 5 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio will not be revoked, ending confusion over geographical purchasing restrictions.

The Eastern Conference franchise are potentially one victory away from securing their first NBA championship since 1973.

An initial message on the ticketing platform stated that orders placed outside a 150-mile radius of the Frost Bank Center would be cancelled without notice.

Initial restrictions spark outrage

That warning prompted swift backlash from prominent New York officials, who criticised the policy for seemingly preventing travelling supporters from attending the crucial matchup.

“Knicks fans finally get within one game of a championship, and their reward is having their tickets canceled?” – New York Governor Kathy Hochul

However, Madison Square Garden Sports Corporation issued a statement on Saturday to alleviate concerns among the travelling fanbase.

Ticketmaster subsequently clarified on social media that no valid, authenticated purchases for the fixture have been or will be voided.

Spurs defend standard playoff policy

The geographical limitations were only applied at the point of initial sale, meaning anyone who successfully acquired a seat remains eligible to enter the arena.

Officials from the Western Conference team defended the 150-mile radius rule as a standard practice utilised throughout the NBA postseason.

“This allows us to continue prioritizing local fans across San Antonio, Austin and surrounding communities.” – San Antonio Spurs Spokesman

Because these restrictions do not extend to the secondary market, visiting fans still have legitimate avenues to secure a place inside the Texas venue.

New York supporters previously overcame similar geographical ticketing hurdles during their second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the playoffs.

Rangers have made a formal approach to speak with Hearts manager Derek McInnes as current boss Danny Röhl nears a move to Austrian side RB Salzburg.

The Ibrox club are seeking an immediate replacement with Röhl reportedly close to succeeding Daniel Beichler in Salzburg.

Compensation terms will need to be agreed for the German coach, who currently has two years remaining on his Glasgow contract following his arrival last October.

Boston summit awaits

Discussions regarding the looming dugout vacancy are expected to accelerate in the United States over the coming days.

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavanagh and chief executive Jim Gillespie are travelling to Boston for Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti.

McInnes will also attend the international fixture following a close-season holiday in America, placing all key decision-makers in the same city.

Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay is additionally present at the tournament as part of a Scottish FA delegation.

A familiar face for Ibrox

The 54-year-old tactician previously rejected the opportunity to take charge of his former club during a managerial search in 2017.

However, his stock remains incredibly high after guiding the Edinburgh side to a second-place Premiership finish last season.

The Tynecastle outfit ultimately missed out on the league title to Celtic on the final day of a dramatic campaign.

The departing Röhl had similarly led a resurgence, taking over from Russell Martin with the team in sixth before falling just short in the title race.

Rebuild already underway

Whoever inherits the managerial reins will find a summer squad overhaul already in progress.

A newly formed recruitment hierarchy recently secured the signature of Scotland international Lawrence Shankland on a two-year deal.

The prolific striker moved to Glasgow on a free transfer after activating a release clause, having scored 20 goals across all competitions last term.

First-team players are scheduled to return for pre-season training next week, increasing the urgency for a swift appointment.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart has dismissed hostile chants from Carolina Hurricanes fans as “just noise” as he prepares to start Game six of the Stanley Cup Final.

The netminder was acquitted of a sexual assault charge last summer following accusations related to a 2018 Hockey Canada event.

Fans in Raleigh repeatedly chanted “no means no!” during the first three home games of the championship series in reference to the trial.

Hart addressed the crowd’s behaviour for the first time following Saturday’s morning skate in Las Vegas.

Support remains despite struggling form

“It’s just noise. I mean, both atmospheres and both buildings have been really loud and just a lot of fun to play in,” Hart stated.

The former Philadelphia Flyers player has endured a historically difficult series on the ice, conceding four or more goals in all five games.

He currently holds a save percentage of just .856 against the Hurricanes.

Carolina currently lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and can secure the Stanley Cup trophy with a victory on Sunday night.

Tortorella backs his goaltender

Despite mounting external pressure to bench the struggling player for backup Adin Hill, head coach John Tortorella offered an emphatic endorsement.

“I know him. I know there’s a better game in him. I’ve seen it throughout the playoffs,” Tortorella said.

The veteran coach previously managed the Canadian when both men were employed by the Flyers.

Tortorella insisted the team must do a better job defensively around their starter, urging observers to look beyond the underlying statistics.

Knights face elimination

The Golden Knights are fighting to keep their season alive and force a decisive seventh game.

Teammate Rasmus Andersson expressed complete confidence in their starting goalie ahead of the crucial matchup.

“At this point of the year you just don’t care about what the outside says, honestly,” the defenceman added.

Andersson noted that fixating on outside criticism or praise during an elimination game would simply cause a player to lose their focus.

Former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has emerged as a leading candidate to take charge of AC Milan following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri.

The 41-year-old has been out of football since departing Old Trafford in January after a difficult 14-month tenure.

Conversations have already taken place between the Italian side and representatives of the Portuguese tactician.

He is reportedly high on the shortlist to lead the Rossoneri into the upcoming campaign.

Milan seek rebuild after late collapse

Club hierarchy are searching for a new direction after an alarming dip in form saw them miss out on Champions League qualification.

The seven-time European champions won just three of their final 10 domestic fixtures last season.

That poor run allowed Como to dramatically snatch the final elite European spot on the last day of the campaign.

Allegri was subsequently relieved of his duties in May following the disappointing end to the season.

Alternative candidates and pre-season permutations

Amorim had previously been linked with a return to Benfica, where he spent six years as a player, but those rumours have been downplayed.

The former Sporting CP boss is not the only high-profile name associated with the San Siro vacancy.

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino and former Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner are also under consideration.

However, Ralf Rangnick has ruled himself out of the running by extending his contract with the Austrian national team until 2028.

Should the highly-rated tactician secure the Milan job, his first major test could come against a familiar foe.

The Italian outfit are scheduled to face Manchester United in a Polish pre-season friendly on 15 August.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has described the decision to overturn Pierre Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix penalty as “astonishing” after a measurement error wrongly penalised multiple drivers.

Gasly was restored to third place in Sunday’s race after his Alpine team launched a successful appeal.

The French competitor had initially been demoted to seventh for speeding in the pit lane.

However, race stewards later admitted a measurement calculation error meant several competitors were incorrectly penalised despite driving within the 60km/h limit.

“I’m pretty mind-blown by the decision,”

Piastri stated.

“How you can reverse a decision that was ultimately wrong, but when other people have been penalised for the same thing and served a penalty in the race, how you can then change one penalty… is astonishing.”

Title race implications and looming appeals

The Australian racer was one of five competitors wrongly sanctioned, alongside George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto.

Russell suffered the most severe consequences, dropping from third to 12th after serving a subsequent drive-through penalty.

The Mercedes driver lost 15 crucial points in his championship battle with victorious team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

Ferrari managed to protect Hamilton from significant damage by serving his penalty under the safety car.

The sport’s governing body reinstated Gasly, which subsequently dropped Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar off the podium and pushed Piastri down to fifth.

Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren have all signalled their intention to appeal against the controversial ruling.

Piastri expressed deep frustration over the impact the stewards’ inconsistency has had on the wider grid.

“I’ve obviously lost a position, but you can only imagine how George is feeling – so I could not believe my eyes,”

the former Formula 2 champion added.

Emma Raducanu has reached her second WTA Tour final of 2026 after defeating American teenager Iva Jovic in straight sets at Queen’s Club on Saturday.

The British star made light work of a demanding schedule that required her to play twice in a single day.

After dispatching Kamilla Rakhimova in her delayed quarter-final, the former US Open champion returned to the grass to overpower Jovic 6-2 6-2.

Vekic denies all-British showdown

Raducanu will now face Croatia’s Donna Vekic in Sunday’s showpiece event at the HSBC Championships.

Vekic prevented a highly anticipated domestic clash by breezing past Katie Boulter in the second semi-final.

The experienced Croatian delivered a commanding performance to disappoint the home crowd and secure her progression.

Resurgence under Richardson

Victory on Sunday would secure only the second senior singles title of Raducanu’s professional career.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a noticeable resurgence in form since reuniting with her former coach Andrew Richardson.

Lifting the trophy on the London grass would provide the perfect momentum boost ahead of the upcoming Wimbledon championships.