Northern Ireland's Ellie McCartney has won a bronze medal in the women's 200m **** troke final at the Commonwealth Games.
McCartney, 21, finished third behind home favourite Abgharad Evans and Kaylene Corbett of South Africa.
The 21-year-old had posted the sixth-fastest time in the semi-finals but put in a storming performance to take third in a time of 2:24.73.
Her time was enough to win bronze ahead of Australia's Ella Ramsay by 0.16 seconds.
McCartney is Commonwealth Youth Games in 2023 and European Under-23 gold medallist last year, but her bronze in Glasgow is a first senior international medal for the Enniskillen swimmer.

#mccartney #commonwealth #medal #Third

A proposal that could reshape the commercial future of the World Cup has sparked fierce opposition from European football's governing bodies, politicians and supporters.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino unveiled plans this week to create a $20 billion (€17.5 billion) company to run the World Cup with private investors, including Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner and linked to the Trump family through his sister-in-law Ivanka Trump, the daughter of US President Donald Trump.
The proposed commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), would oversee competitions including the World Cup and Club World Cup, as first reported by_The Times of London_, which football experts say could change the nature of the competition forever.
The plan has sparked backlash from European football fans, politicians and federations, who accuse the move of being a sellout. Infantino has set a September deadline for the proposal, while UEFA vows to sink the plans. Euronews brings you the reaction:
UEFA was among the first organisations to condemn the proposal. European football's governing body made clear that football is not for sale, warning against turning the sport into a commercial ******* et.

#World #fifa #infantino #uefa

Ferran Torres' future remains unresolved as the FC Barcelona forward enters a pivotal summer with his contract set to expire in June 2027.
His role next season could depend heavily on Barcelona's activity in the transfer market, with the possible arrival of a new elite centre-forward likely to reduce his opportunities further.
As a result, several leading European clubs continue to monitor his situation. Paris Saint-Germain remain the strongest contenders should Ferran decide to leave Spotify Camp Nou.
According to SPORT, PSG are now pressing Ferran to make a decision about his future as soon as possible.
The French club want to establish whether the Spain international is willing to join Luis Enrique's project and avoid a prolonged transfer saga throughout the remainder of the summer.

#future #summer #possible #june

TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) reported second-quarter adjusted net income of $6 billion on July 23, 2026, up 67% year-over-year and its best quarter in nearly three years.
The gain traced almost entirely to the Iran war, as Hormuz disruption pushed crude and gas prices to multi-year highs and lifted European refining margins while Middle East capacity stayed offline. Refining and chemicals income rose 362% to $1.8 billion, and exploration and production earnings climbed 64% to $3.2 billion.
CEO Patrick Pouyanné called the strait a battleground and said closures could become normal, leaving the real question: what the company looks like once that windfall fades.
LNG is where that question starts to get answered, and the quarter alone was not encouraging.
The segment earned $807 million, a 22% decline the company attributed to trading underperformance amid flat European demand, though Pouyanné said prices rallied in July.

#july #european #question

Uefa will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday, where the prospect of boycotting the World Cup will be discussed as leverage against Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to privatise the tournament.
Next steps with the European Union will also be raised, as the European Commission scrutinises whether Infantino's project contravenes protections that are afforded as regards competition law.
Fifa's plan has provoked fury in most of the European game, to the point that an alliance of all major stakeholders is gaining strength.
Bodies including the Football ******* ociation, European Leagues, European Football Clubs, the Union of European Clubs, the Football Supporters ******* ociation and Football Supporters Europe have already released strident statements, mostly condemning the lack of proper process, but with some going much further and demanding drastic change at the top of the game.
Figures within the national ******* ociations and Uefa's structure are most infuriated by the unilateral nature in which Infantino has come up with the plan as well as the very prospect of privatisation, and how it has been presented to federations with a limited timeframe of 53 days before what amounts to a binary vote amid the "bribery" of those who agree being guaranteed higher returns.

#plan #union #prospect #uefa

Josko Gvardiol was reportedly ******* ured of his central importance to Manchester City during discussions over his new contract.
The Athletic's Sam Lee claims Gvardiol is viewed as one of three "central pillars" of Enzo Maresca's squad, alongside Phil Foden and Erling Haaland.
The revelation offers fresh insight into why City moved so decisively to tie Gvardiol down until 2031 despite interest from Real Madrid.
Manchester City view Josko Gvardiol as one of three central pillars within their first-team squad, according to a new insider report.
The latest insight arrives as Gvardiol's new Manchester City contract was officially confirmed by the club, following weeks in which the defender had been strongly linked with a move to several European giants including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

#gvardiol #pillars

The English Football ******* ociation has issued a statement declaring it is 'deeply concerned' by Gianni Infantino's proposals to commercialize the World Cup. FIFA announced on Tuesday — following leaked reports of its intentions — that it planned to expand 'football development funding' to more than $10billion by opening up its competitions, including the World Cup, to third-party investment.
Reports suggest that Infantino stands to personally profit substantially from private investors. European confederation UEFA released a strongly worded statement accusing FIFA of 'crossing the line', while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham declared that FIFA had 'sold out'.
The FA have now weighed in with a statement published on Wednesday, via The Mirror, which read: "We were completely unaware of this proposal and have no substantive details, including what the proposition actually is, and what conditions are attached.
Donald Trump sparks outrage with Harry Kane World Cup comments
Wrexham fans set to gather in New York ahead of landmark Liverpool match at Yankee Stadium

#fifa #association

The vice-president of the German FA (DFB) on Wednesday slammed FIFA's controversial plans to sell stakes in its competitions, including the World Cup, as "an outright attack on football".
FIFA announced Tuesday it was set to create a semi-private subsidiary which would sell part of its business operations in the World Cup and other competitions, hoping to raise $4.2 billion.
The plan would still have to be approved by the 38-member FIFA council and the majority of its 211 member **** ociations. FIFA said it intends to present the plans to the council soon.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, the DFB vice-president who is also president of Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund and a vice-president of UEFA's executive committee, joined the chorus critical of the proposal.
"Many in European football see FIFA's plans as an outright attack on football. I share this view. A line has been crossed here," Watzke told Germany's Kicker.

#plans #Football #watzke #sell

The European Union has joined the Union of European Football ***** ociations (UEFA) in criticising FIFA's controversial plan to launch a new commercial company with external investment to sell a stake in the World Cup.
"The relentless commercialisation of football has become corrosive," EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef wrote on X on Wednesday. He added that a possible alignment of FIFA's regulatory powers with the financial interests of private entities is a concern for the European Commission.
FIFA announced on Tuesday it plans to create a $20 billion (around €17.6 billion) subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events, offering stakes of up to 20% to external investors. This would give FIFA members the chance "to access up to $20 million in one-off capital," according to the statement on the plan.
The move provoked a furious response from UEFA, which accused the football governing body of putting the game's "soul" up for sale.
"The European Commission will study these proposals carefully," Micallef said in response to the announcement, flagging that under EU treaties sporting rules are subject to EU law where they may have an impact on the European economy.

#World #fifa

Paris Saint-Germain are not expected to attempt to sign AFC Bournemouth's Éli Junior Kroupi (20) this summer, according to reports from RMC Sport.
Whilst seeking an attacking reinforcement to compensate for the departures of Gonçalo Ramos (24), Lee Kang-in (25) and Randal Kolo Muani (27), the Rouge et Bleu management have not, for the time being, opened the door to the young striker's arrival in the capital, although he is reportedly interested in the project and has supporters within the club.
However, given the Cherries' determination to keep him and the potential cost of prising him away, the Kroupi deal is not currently a priority. A sum in excess of €100m is said to be the minimum required for any club wishing to secure his services.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's Ferran Torres (26) and Atalanta's Charles de Ketelaere (25) – whose names have already been linked with the two-time European champions – are on Paris's shortlist. So too is a third player, whose identity has not yet been revealed.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

#Paris #sport

While European football stands united in opposition to FIFA's latest multi-billion-dollar commercial scheme, one prominent member ******* ociation boss has chosen to take a very different stance.
The general consensus on FIFA's $20 billion commercial spinoff is simple: if money talks, Gianni Infantino has turned the volume up to maximum, while Europe has hit the mute ******* on.
FIFA's non-European federations are practically drooling over promised $20 million development payouts, viewing the private equity cash-in as a windfall.
Meanwhile, UEFA, European clubs, and fans are horrified, insisting the "soul of football isn't for sale".
In short: FIFA wants to sell a slice of its World Cup pie to Wall Street to enrich smaller nations, while Europe fears private investors will turn the beautiful game into a corporate cash grab.

#Football #private #infantino

Gianni Infantino has told the heads of Fifa's 211 member **** ociations that they could miss out on a $30m payment if they do not back his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, and has given them just 53 days to decide.
On Tuesday, Fifa revealed plans to create a new subsidiary to manage the commercial rights and delivery of the World Cup and other major tournaments, with Infantino confirming that the new company - 'Fifa Forward Enterprises (FFE)' - would be open to external capital investment.
Infantino's plans have been heavily criticised by Uefa, who accused Fifa of looking to sell the game's "soul", while The Independent understands the threat of a boycott is being discussed by senior European figures. The proposals, though, only require a majority vote, of above 50 per cent, from the 211 Fifa members as well as backing from the Fifa Council.
Infantino is planning to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors (PA)
In a letter to the member **** ociations, seen by The Independent, Infantino has promised that national federations would benefit from an increase of its 'Fifa Forward' funding from around $8m to $20m for the upcoming four-year cycle between 2027 and 2031 if the new FFE subsidiary is created.

#member #associations #stakes

Aston Villa are still awaiting the outcome of their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as they try to register Brian Madjo, who joined from Metz for £10m in January and does not turn 18 until January next year.
Under-18s cannot complete international transfers, but Villa have argued Madjo was born in London and should be exempt, despite having three caps for Luxembourg.
Fifa does allow some exemptions for minor players to make moves, including if a 16 or 17-year-old transfers within the European Union - something the UK is no longer part of.
At 6ft 4in, Madjo has already been compared to Belgium's Romelu Lukaku and his leveller against Real Sociedad to make it 2-2 after 56 minutes was simple enough but showed a predatory instinct.
He was a handful for Real, with strength and power unsettling the visiting defenders and, with Ollie Watkins still on a break following England's World Cup campaign and Tammy Abraham returning from a shoulder issue, Madjo has the chance to impress.

#january #real #transfers #aston

After an eventful couple of months, Yan Diomande, one of football's top young prospects, is about to get his wish of joining a European powerhouse.
The 19-year-old is signing with Real Madrid in what can only be described as a record-setting transfer.
The Spanish giants will pay more than £100m for Diomande - making him a new record sale for RB Leipzig and he is expected to also become a new record signing for Real Madrid.
Simultaneously, Diomande becomes the most expensive African player in history.
His rise to stardom has also occurred seemingly in record time as less than 18 months ago he was almost completely unknown.

#european #leipzig #simultaneously

Video ******* istant referees should only be used to change "blatantly incorrect" decisions and clear missed incidents, say European refereeing officials.
Chief refereeing officers from all 55 European national football ******* ociations met last week with Uefa refereeing officials and a representative from the International Football ******* ociation Board (Ifab) to address recent changes to the game's laws.
Attendees said "lengthy, microscoping reviews" indicate VAR has gone beyond its original scope.
When VAR was added to the laws of the game in 2018 by football's rulemakers Ifab, its "philosophy" was "minimum interference - maximum benefit", with the intention of reducing "unfairness caused by clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents" relating to goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.
Uefa said that at its recent meeting that refereeing bosses agreed a return to those original aims is needed.

#Football #clear #incidents #officials

Darcey Harry says she has come to "hate" calls for patience during what has been a more challenging second season on the Ladies European Tour (LET).
After her successes as a rookie in 2025, Wales' number one golfer hopes this week's return to the Women's Open could spark an upturn in form.
Harry has a place in the field at Royal Lytham & St Annes courtesy of her performances last year, when she finished a lofty 14th in the LET order of merit despite the fact she had only just turned professional.
But 2026 has been more of a struggle for the 23-year-old from Dinas Powys, who has missed the cut in three of her past four tournaments and was forced to withdraw from the other because of injury after only a handful of holes.
"My results are definitely reflecting that it's harder second time around [on tour] because the expectations are just so high," Harry told BBC Sport Wales.

#only #ladies #open

Greece have called up the brother of Australia batter Sam Konstas to their national cricket team as they prepare to make a surprise bid to qualify for the 2028 men's T20 World Cup.
It is understood Billy Konstas, four years older than Sam at 24, has been included in Greece's 14-man squad for a European qualifying event in Finland from 14 to 21 August.
Sam made his Test debut for Australia at the age of 19 against India in the Boxing Day Test in 2024, memorably ramping Jasprit ***** rah three times in one over.
Billy plays grade cricket in Sydney alongside his day job where he combines cricket coaching with physiotherapy.
The elder Konstas is joined in the squad by another Greek-Aussie in 21-year-old leg-spinning all-rounder Blake Faunce, who played representative age-group cricket for Australian Capital Territory.

#european

Tottenham Hotspur continue their pre-season campaign against the Australian side Sydney FC on Wednesday at the Allianz Stadium
Date: Wednesday, 29th July
Kick-off: 10:45am BST.
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney.
Sydney FC enters this high-profile friendly looking to test their squad against elite European opposition under head coach Patrick Kisnorbo.

#kick

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Updated July 27, 2026 1:03 pm ET
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French luxury-goods conglomerate LVMH MC 0.75%
increase; up pointing triangle
reported an acceleration in revenue growth for the second quarter and said that its core fashion and leather goods business returned to growth, offering signs of relief for a European luxury sector that has been grappling with a prolonged slump in demand.

#luxury #goods #french

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is seeking to position itself as the platform of choice for enterprise frontier AI adoption. It is part of the company's strategy of extending its cloud platform, Azure, beyond traditional infrastructure into the foundation for nmext-generation AI computing.
That was evident on July 21, as the software giant confirmed the expansion of its strategic partnership with Mistral. The collaboration is designed to give enterprises and regulated industries access to frontier AI models that they can deploy with greater control over security, governance, and compliance.
The expanded partnership reinforces Microsoft's ambition to become the trusted AI infrastructure provider for highly regulated industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, defense, energy, and manufacturing.
As part of this agreement, Microsoft will use Mistral's expanding European GPU infrastructure. Mistral, on the other hand, has added its AI models called Medium 3.5 and OCR 4 to Microsoft's app builder known as Foundry; while Microsoft Copilot Studio has brought on Medium 3.5 ⁠as well.
Photo by Microsoft 365 on Unsplash

#frontier

OXFORD — Ole Miss basketball coach Chris Beard has hired an ******* istant with a wealth of European basketball experience to his staff.
Petar Aleksić was named an ******* istant coach for the Rebels on July 28.
"Petar has built a reputation as a winner everywhere he's coached," Beard said in a school release. "His experience developing players, leading championship programs and competing at the highest levels of European basketball brings tremendous value to our staff. He's a teacher, a proven leader and someone who shares our commitment to building a championship culture at Ole Miss."
Beard was an ******* istant coach under Aleksić for the 2015 Swiss National Team in EuroBasket. That team upset Russia in the second qualifying round of the tournament. Aleksić also spent time with the Rebels in 2024-25 when Ole Miss reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
Aleksić spent 10 seasons (2013-23) as the coach of Fribourg Olympic, a professional team, and has also served as coach of the Swiss men's national team from 2013-17. Aleksić had a 17-year professional playing career competing in the Yugoslav First and Second divisions, as well as in Hungary and Switzerland.

#rebels

Rodri enhanced his reputation with his performances for Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He led Spain to World Cup glory and his performances during the latter stages of the tournament reminded everyone that the Manchester City midfield mainstay remains one of the premier midfielders in European football. Following the World Cup, Rodri's stock couldn't be higher. However, he was scheduled to have back surgery after the competition. Manchester City have confirmed that Rodri has now undergone back surgery. Also, due to his performances at the World Cup, there are doubts over Rodri's future at City as Real Madrid circle.
In an announcement on mancity.com, it has been confirmed that Rodri has undergone minor back surgery. As per Manchester City's statement, Rodri has been feeling discomfort in his back for some time. The surgery that Rodri has undertaken will alleviate the issue and the Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder will now enter a short period of rehabilitation ahead of joining up with Enzo Maresca's squad for the latter stages of Manchester City's preseason.
Having undergone back surgery, Rodri should be ready to go for the 2026-27 season. Manchester City will need their midfield general ready to go based on how integral he is to their chances next season. However, there is an elephant in the room. A major one. That is will Rodri be at Manchester City for next season? He is in the final 12 months of his contract and Real Madrid are circling one of Manchester City's key ***** ets.
Spanish publication Marca has reported that Real Madrid are looking to sign Rodri this summer. It is reported that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is preparing to push to sign the World Cup winner. Also, it is believed that new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is eager to add Rodri's leadership, ability in possession, tactical discipline and ability to manage a game to his squad. It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid will begin negotiations with Manchester City to sign Rodri.
Rodri has undergone back surgery on a minor issue. It is hoped that he will be ready for the 2026-27 season following that procedure. It now remains to be seen where Rodri will play next season. That is the biggest question mark surrounding Manchester City's midfield general.

#rodri #World #surgery

England's number one Hannah Hampton has signed a new two-year contract with Chelsea.
Hampton joined Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2023, and has gone on to cement herself as both Chelsea and England's first choice goalkeeper.
Over the past three years, she's won five trophies with Chelsea, starred for England as the Lionesses retained their European **** le and was awarded the Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d'Or awards in 2025, recognising her as the best goalkeeper in the world.
The 25-year-old was born in Birmingham but moved to Spain at the age of five. It was at Villarreal where she showed her potential, initially as an outfield player, before moving back to the UK just before her 11th birthday.
Hampton switched to become a goalkeeper a year later while at Stoke City before a move to Birmingham City aged 15. She excelled during her time with Birmingham City.

#five

The European Commission (EC) has approved Saica Group's acquisition of Thimm Group plants in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania.
The deal covers all activities in those four countries, comprising nine corrugated board plants. It also includes one preprint facility in Ilsenburg, Germany.
Saica said the operation will increase its corrugated cardboard production capacity by 1,200 million square metres and add around 2,500 employees.
The acquisition will support its objective of developing local markets and getting closer to customers, it added.
Saica Group president and CEO Susana Alejandro said: "We are very happy to integrate Thimm's team within Saica Group, its knowledge and skills are highly appreciated in the sector. At Saica Group, people makes the difference: they are what drives our organisation. We are convinced they will contribute to Saica's future and its success.

#plants

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Since Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has repeatedly spilled across Romania's border as drones violate the airspace of the neighboring European Union and NATO member.
Now Romania is trying something new to stop the incursions: shooting down the drones.
Romanian pilots shot down the first of three drones in as many days from F-16 fighter jets starting Friday as Russia intensified attacks against Ukraine near the border. After determining the drones were of Russian origin, Romania summoned Moscow's ambassador in protest and expelled a Russian diplomat on Monday.
Drones have crossed into Romanian territory multiple times from Ukraine to the north and east, including in May when a drone injured a mother and child after crashing into an apartment block in the eastern town of Galati along the Danube River.
Romanian authorities largely responded by scrambling jets, collecting debris, erecting fallout shelters near the border and frequently admonishing Moscow for its war spilling into its territory.

#drones #romanian #border #territory

What happened: Semiconductor stocks fell on Tuesday, with the PHLX Semiconductor Index (^SOX) falling more than 3% as investors continued to unwind positions in one of the market's hottest AI-driven sectors this year.
US-listed shares of memory and storage leaders Micron Technology (MU), SK Hynix (SKHY), and Sandisk (SNDK) all fell more than 8% and 13%, respectively. Among the semiconductor equipment makers, ASML (ASML), Applied Materials (AMAT), and Lam Research (LRCX) also dropped.
AI chip heavyweight Nvidia (NVDA) stock reversed early morning losses to climb into green territory following a 5% drop on Monday. Peer AMD (AMD) fell more than 7%. Chip maker Intel (INTC), along with Marvell (MRVL) and Qualcomm (QCOM), also slid.
What's behind the move: The sell-off followed declines in semiconductor stocks abroad. In South Korea, SK Hynix fell more than 14%, while Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) dropped more than 13%.
European semiconductor stocks also moved lower as concerns about circular financing and intensifying competition from China have weighed on the sector.

#fell #asml

The future of Yan Diomande is currently the biggest talking point in European football.
The RB Leipzig winger is widely expected to join Real Madrid heading into the new season, but the two clubs are yet to reach a final agreement.
Diomande's supposed move to Santiago Bernabeu was a major defeat to PSG, who were in pole position to sign the Ivorian earlier in the year.
Transfer expert Fabrice Hawkins has now offered an update on the Diomande saga, adding that PSG no longer consider a move for the Leipzig forward.
All eyes on Diomande's transfer saga. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

#leipzig #move

Since the 2018 World Cup, Jordan Pickford has been a fixture in the England team.
He has kept 44 clean sheets in his 91 caps and has made 33 major tournament appearances, including two European Championship finals.
The Everton goalkeeper will be 34 by the time of the next major tournament, Euro 2028, begins - so it is only natural for thoughts to turn to who could take over from him.
The other goalkeepers in England's World Cup squad were Nottingham Forest's Dean Henderson - who was regarded as the second-choice as he played in the third-place play-off - and James Trafford of Manchester City.
Trafford is closing in on a £40m move to Leeds United that will make the 23-year-old one of the most expensive goalkeepers in history - only Kepa Arrizabalaga (£68m), Alisson (£62m) and Andre Onana (£43m) have cost more.

#World #jordan

Uefa has reacted furiously to reports Fifa president Gianni Infantino is planning to sell stakes in the men's World Cup to investors.
Infantino is plotting a scheme whereby Fifa would retain majority control of the World Cup and the rest would be sold, partly to each of Fifa's 211 national ******* ociations, and partly to private investment, according to reports by The Times and Financial Times on Tuesday.
The plan could potentially see Infantino installed as the "commissioner" of the World Cup when his Fifa presidency finally ends in 2031, a position which would prove extremely lucrative.
Uefa, the governing body of European football and a long-term critic of Infantino, said in a statement: "This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross.
"UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football ******* ociation. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not ******* ets to trade - especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.

#fifa #national #extremely

ROME (AP) — Roberto Mancini has once again been tasked with revitalizing an Italy team in crisis, almost exactly three years after he bolted on the national team.
Italian soccer federation Giovanni Malagò announced Mancini as the new Italy coach on Tuesday, adding that Claudio Ranieri will become the new technical director after Paolo Maldini stepped down the previous day — just 16 days after being appointed.
The 61-year-old Mancini led the Azzurri to the European Championship **** le in 2021 but shockingly resigned as Italy coach in August 2023, taking over Saudi Arabia's national team two weeks later.
"Time was running out … I believed the person who should become the new coach of Italy is Roberto Mancini, for a whole list of reasons," Malagò said. "There will be a press conference tomorrow with both Claudio Ranieri and Roberto Mancini."
The Italian national team is in crisis after failing for a third straight time to qualify for the World Cup, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso in April.

#italian