1 hr. ago
Barcelona have completed the signing of German defender Mikael Baza from Hamburg SV, adding another highly rated teenager to their youth setup.
The 16-year-old centre-back has committed his future to Barça until 2029 and will initially join the club's youth B team.
Barcelona confirmed the agreement in an official statement, stating,
"Agreement for the incorporation of Mikael Baza to FC Barcelona from Hamburg SV in his youth stage.
"In the signing ceremony, he was accompanied by the director of Youth Football, José Ramon Alexanco."
#mikael #agreement #signing #Football
The 16-year-old centre-back has committed his future to Barça until 2029 and will initially join the club's youth B team.
Barcelona confirmed the agreement in an official statement, stating,
"Agreement for the incorporation of Mikael Baza to FC Barcelona from Hamburg SV in his youth stage.
"In the signing ceremony, he was accompanied by the director of Youth Football, José Ramon Alexanco."
#mikael #agreement #signing #Football
4 days ago
Uncrowned has Mikaela Mayer vs. Chantelle Cameron live results, round-by-round updates, highlights, ring walks and start time for the MVPW-06 fight card on Saturday at bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, England. Three super welterweight world ******* les are on the line, as WBA and WBC champion Mikaela Mayer faces WBO champion Chantelle Cameron in the main event.
Mayer (22-2, 5 KOs), a three-division world champion, returns for the first time since defeating Mary Spencer in October to claim the WBA and WBC super welterweight ******* les. The 2016 Olympian is Uncrowned's No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer and has won four straight since her controversial loss to Natasha Jonas in January 2024, including back-to-back victories over Sandy Ryan.
Cameron (22-1, 8 KOs) captured the vacant WBO super welterweight ******* le with a unanimous decision over Michaela Kotaskova in April. The former undisputed super lightweight champion is Uncrowned's No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer and has also won four straight bouts since suffering her lone professional defeat in a November 2023 rematch with Katie Taylor, whom Cameron famously handed her first career loss six months earlier.
The Mayer vs. Cameron prelims begin at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and ESPN2. The main card starts at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with main event ring walks expected around 4:30 p.m. ET.
Follow all of the action with Uncrowned's live results and play-by-play of the main card below.
#live #since
Mayer (22-2, 5 KOs), a three-division world champion, returns for the first time since defeating Mary Spencer in October to claim the WBA and WBC super welterweight ******* les. The 2016 Olympian is Uncrowned's No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer and has won four straight since her controversial loss to Natasha Jonas in January 2024, including back-to-back victories over Sandy Ryan.
Cameron (22-1, 8 KOs) captured the vacant WBO super welterweight ******* le with a unanimous decision over Michaela Kotaskova in April. The former undisputed super lightweight champion is Uncrowned's No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer and has also won four straight bouts since suffering her lone professional defeat in a November 2023 rematch with Katie Taylor, whom Cameron famously handed her first career loss six months earlier.
The Mayer vs. Cameron prelims begin at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and ESPN2. The main card starts at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with main event ring walks expected around 4:30 p.m. ET.
Follow all of the action with Uncrowned's live results and play-by-play of the main card below.
#live #since
4 days ago
What time does Mikaela Mayer vs. Chantelle Cameron start? Live stream, price, full card, TV channel & more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Who will have bragging rights when Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron headline a U.S. vs. U.K. fight card featuring several ***** le fights?
Here's a full breakdown of Mayer vs. Cameron, including fight time, streaming details and the complete card.
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
Start time: 2 p.m. ET (prelims starting at 11 a.m. ET) | 11 a.m. PT
#cameron #mikaela
Who will have bragging rights when Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron headline a U.S. vs. U.K. fight card featuring several ***** le fights?
Here's a full breakdown of Mayer vs. Cameron, including fight time, streaming details and the complete card.
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
Start time: 2 p.m. ET (prelims starting at 11 a.m. ET) | 11 a.m. PT
#cameron #mikaela
6 days ago
This weekend, Chantelle Cameron and Mikaela Mayer will meet in a ******* le-unification clash, as the pair top a women's UK vs US card in Birmingham.
Cameron puts her WBO super-welterweight ******* le on the line against American Mayer, who holds the WBC and WBA belts, in a meeting of multiple-division champions.
Caroline Dubois is also in action, putting her unified lightweight ******* les on the line against Amelia Moore, while Terri Harper and Shannon Courtenay are among the other established names competing.
With the legendary Katie Taylor about to retire, her former rival Cameron and Mayer could be vying for the status of boxing's top female star.
Here's all you need to know:
#mayer #caroline
Cameron puts her WBO super-welterweight ******* le on the line against American Mayer, who holds the WBC and WBA belts, in a meeting of multiple-division champions.
Caroline Dubois is also in action, putting her unified lightweight ******* les on the line against Amelia Moore, while Terri Harper and Shannon Courtenay are among the other established names competing.
With the legendary Katie Taylor about to retire, her former rival Cameron and Mayer could be vying for the status of boxing's top female star.
Here's all you need to know:
#mayer #caroline
8 days ago
Chantelle Cameron is squared away to take on Mikaela Mayer in an August 29 ****** le unification in Birmingham, England, and looking towards the fight Cameron tells Sky Sports that she's been putting in all the work behind the scenes to the point where just simply doesn't feel Mayer is a special enough fighter to topple her.
To that end, Cameron says she's anticipating a career-best performance this weekend as everything has been humming in training camp and she doesn't expect anything to change that up come fight night.
"I'm heading into fight week in such a good place – confident and knowing that it's going to take someone really good and special to beat me, and I just don't think that's Mikaela. When I'm thinking like that and acting that out in the gym and everything else, I just know that I'm not going to be denied the victory."
Should Cameron come out on top she'll have a handful of world ****** les, but she says it still likely won't top the feeling of being the only person to hand the legendary Katie Taylor a defeat. So, in that respect Cameron would only rate this as her second-best achievement in the sport. Still, she'll have to handle the business between the bells before she can start counting any of her accolades.
#mikaela
To that end, Cameron says she's anticipating a career-best performance this weekend as everything has been humming in training camp and she doesn't expect anything to change that up come fight night.
"I'm heading into fight week in such a good place – confident and knowing that it's going to take someone really good and special to beat me, and I just don't think that's Mikaela. When I'm thinking like that and acting that out in the gym and everything else, I just know that I'm not going to be denied the victory."
Should Cameron come out on top she'll have a handful of world ****** les, but she says it still likely won't top the feeling of being the only person to hand the legendary Katie Taylor a defeat. So, in that respect Cameron would only rate this as her second-best achievement in the sport. Still, she'll have to handle the business between the bells before she can start counting any of her accolades.
#mikaela
8 days ago
This weekend, Chantelle Cameron and Mikaela Mayer will meet in a **** le-unification clash, as the pair top a women's UK vs US card in Birmingham.
Cameron puts her WBO super-welterweight **** le on the line against American Mayer, who holds the WBC and WBA belts, in a meeting of multiple-division champions.
Caroline Dubois is also in action, putting her unified lightweight **** les on the line against Amelia Moore, while Terri Harper and Shannon Courtenay are among the other established names competing.
With the legendary Katie Taylor about to retire, her former rival Cameron and Mayer could be vying for the status of boxing's top female star.
Here's all you need to know:
#american
Cameron puts her WBO super-welterweight **** le on the line against American Mayer, who holds the WBC and WBA belts, in a meeting of multiple-division champions.
Caroline Dubois is also in action, putting her unified lightweight **** les on the line against Amelia Moore, while Terri Harper and Shannon Courtenay are among the other established names competing.
With the legendary Katie Taylor about to retire, her former rival Cameron and Mayer could be vying for the status of boxing's top female star.
Here's all you need to know:
#american
8 days ago
Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron were part of a long list of women waiting for Katie Taylor to call, but the call never came. It was not a shock when they were both ignored ahead of Taylor's retirement party – in front of 80,000 at Croke Park in two weeks – but a fight between Mayer and Cameron themselves was a nice idea.
This Saturday, in Birmingham, they fight each other with three world-title belts on the line, and it is one of the very best fights that could be made in the women's game. It is an MVP promotion, their second in the UK, and once again the full card is exceptional. This time, American stars face Britain's own in every bout.
Mayer holds the WBC and WBA belts at super-welterweight, and Cameron has the WBO version, which means there will be a decent scuffle at the end between the commissioners in the ring, all desperate to attach their bauble to the champion first.
In an ideal boxing world, Cameron would be getting her third fight with Taylor, and Mayer (who first fought for a world ****** le at super-feather, a full 24lb below this weekend's limit) would be fighting at a lighter weight.
The women's game often throws up odd fights at strange weights, and this is certainly one of the very best ever in that category. The willingness and ability of the top fighters to flip in and out of alien divisions has made the women's side of the sport so competitive.
#cameron #fight #taylor
This Saturday, in Birmingham, they fight each other with three world-title belts on the line, and it is one of the very best fights that could be made in the women's game. It is an MVP promotion, their second in the UK, and once again the full card is exceptional. This time, American stars face Britain's own in every bout.
Mayer holds the WBC and WBA belts at super-welterweight, and Cameron has the WBO version, which means there will be a decent scuffle at the end between the commissioners in the ring, all desperate to attach their bauble to the champion first.
In an ideal boxing world, Cameron would be getting her third fight with Taylor, and Mayer (who first fought for a world ****** le at super-feather, a full 24lb below this weekend's limit) would be fighting at a lighter weight.
The women's game often throws up odd fights at strange weights, and this is certainly one of the very best ever in that category. The willingness and ability of the top fighters to flip in and out of alien divisions has made the women's side of the sport so competitive.
#cameron #fight #taylor
9 days ago
On Saturday's boxing double-header, Moses Itauma bids to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion against Filip Hrgovic, while Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron meet in a major world ******* le unification clash.
Briton Itauma, 21, is one of boxing's brightest young talents, with 14 wins and 12 knockouts. Hrgovic, 34, brings a 20-1 record and years of top-level experience, with his only defeat coming against Daniel Dubois.
Can Itauma take down Hrgovic at London's O2 Arena and win the vacant IBF ******* le? Or will the Croatian's experience and power end the hype?
Meanwhile, Mayer and Briton Cameron collide in a three-belt light-middleweight unification fight at BP Pulse Arena in Birmingham. American Mayer holds the WBA and WBC ******* les, while Cameron owns the WBO belt.
The bout pits two top elite fighters against each other, with both aiming to move one step closer to becoming undisputed.
#cameron #World
Briton Itauma, 21, is one of boxing's brightest young talents, with 14 wins and 12 knockouts. Hrgovic, 34, brings a 20-1 record and years of top-level experience, with his only defeat coming against Daniel Dubois.
Can Itauma take down Hrgovic at London's O2 Arena and win the vacant IBF ******* le? Or will the Croatian's experience and power end the hype?
Meanwhile, Mayer and Briton Cameron collide in a three-belt light-middleweight unification fight at BP Pulse Arena in Birmingham. American Mayer holds the WBA and WBC ******* les, while Cameron owns the WBO belt.
The bout pits two top elite fighters against each other, with both aiming to move one step closer to becoming undisputed.
#cameron #World
15 days ago
With a three-belt unification against Noel Mikaelian off the table for now, Mike Coppinger reports that David Benavidez will return to action on December 12th. Coppinger "expect[s]" him to meet interim WBC cruiserweight champion Michal Cieslak, confirming an earlier report from Abraham Gonzalez, who claims it will land in the "area" of Benavidez's birthplace of Phoenix, Arizona.
Cieslak (28-2, 22 KO), whose only pro losses came in ******* le bids against Ilunga Makabu and Lawrence Okolie, mollywhopped the remains of Jean Pascal two Junes ago for his seventh consecutive victory since falling to Okolie in 2022. He's not a particularly glamorous opponent and doesn't have the deepest body of work outside of faded vets like Pascal, Olanrewaju Durodola, and Youri Kayembre Kalenga, but he's a solid operator and hasn't gone the distance in victory since 2018.
Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) made short work of "Zurdo" Ramirez in his cruiserweight debut to claim the WBA and WBO ******* les. He then flexed his status as reigning WBC light heavyweight champion to push for a rare mandatory unification against Mikaelian. Sampson Lewkowicz and Don King claim to have worked out a deal, but Mikaelian elected to try his luck with Zuffa instead, which I'm still convinced will result in a lawsuit.
Thus, a kinda-palatable ******* le defense. Maybe next time.
#benavidez
Cieslak (28-2, 22 KO), whose only pro losses came in ******* le bids against Ilunga Makabu and Lawrence Okolie, mollywhopped the remains of Jean Pascal two Junes ago for his seventh consecutive victory since falling to Okolie in 2022. He's not a particularly glamorous opponent and doesn't have the deepest body of work outside of faded vets like Pascal, Olanrewaju Durodola, and Youri Kayembre Kalenga, but he's a solid operator and hasn't gone the distance in victory since 2018.
Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) made short work of "Zurdo" Ramirez in his cruiserweight debut to claim the WBA and WBO ******* les. He then flexed his status as reigning WBC light heavyweight champion to push for a rare mandatory unification against Mikaelian. Sampson Lewkowicz and Don King claim to have worked out a deal, but Mikaelian elected to try his luck with Zuffa instead, which I'm still convinced will result in a lawsuit.
Thus, a kinda-palatable ******* le defense. Maybe next time.
#benavidez
28 days ago
Stockport County have signed St Mirren forward Mikael Mandron on a one-year contract.
The 31-year-old arrives at Edgeley Park on the back of his most prolific season for five years, with his seven goals in eight ties helping the club to win the Scottish League Cup for only the second time in their history.
Altogether, he scored 13 goals and provided 10 ****** ists last season.
That was Mandron's third season at St Mirren Park, after a nomadic senior career spent at Sunderland, Eastleigh, Wigan Athletic, Colchester United, Gillingham, Crewe Alexandra and Motherwell, before he joined St Mirren in 2023.
Mandron joined Sunderland as a scholar at 17 after coming through the French youth system, and he was called up to the Scotland Under-20 squad in 2013.
#mirren #mandron #park #stockport
The 31-year-old arrives at Edgeley Park on the back of his most prolific season for five years, with his seven goals in eight ties helping the club to win the Scottish League Cup for only the second time in their history.
Altogether, he scored 13 goals and provided 10 ****** ists last season.
That was Mandron's third season at St Mirren Park, after a nomadic senior career spent at Sunderland, Eastleigh, Wigan Athletic, Colchester United, Gillingham, Crewe Alexandra and Motherwell, before he joined St Mirren in 2023.
Mandron joined Sunderland as a scholar at 17 after coming through the French youth system, and he was called up to the Scotland Under-20 squad in 2013.
#mirren #mandron #park #stockport
28 days ago
It'll soon be back-to-back U.S. appearances for Australia's Jai Opetaia, who has landed the co-feature slot on one of the biggest boxing cards in 2026.
Opetaia, the reigning Zuffa cruiserweight champion, will defend his ****** le against Noel Mikaelian on the Sept. 12 Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn undercard at the T-Mobile in Las Vegas.
Mikaelian is the reigning WBC cruiserweight world champion. The status of that ****** le was not clarified in Tuesday's announcement, although Mikaelian did ****** ert his intention to defend his crown.
"When I step into the ring on September 12 against Jai Opetaia in Las Vegas, I intend to defend my world championship," Mikaelian said in a press release.
Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs), a former two-time IBF cruiserweight champion, routed Brandon Glanton in his Zuffa Boxing debut in March.
#cruiserweight #champion #defend #zuffa
Opetaia, the reigning Zuffa cruiserweight champion, will defend his ****** le against Noel Mikaelian on the Sept. 12 Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn undercard at the T-Mobile in Las Vegas.
Mikaelian is the reigning WBC cruiserweight world champion. The status of that ****** le was not clarified in Tuesday's announcement, although Mikaelian did ****** ert his intention to defend his crown.
"When I step into the ring on September 12 against Jai Opetaia in Las Vegas, I intend to defend my world championship," Mikaelian said in a press release.
Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs), a former two-time IBF cruiserweight champion, routed Brandon Glanton in his Zuffa Boxing debut in March.
#cruiserweight #champion #defend #zuffa
28 days ago
Despite a standing order to defend his WBC cruiserweight ***** le against David Benavidez, Noel Mikaelian will meet Jai Opetaia in the co-feature of Zuffa Boxing's Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"This is a huge card, and I look forward to showing the world once again why I'm the best cruiserweight on the planet," Opetaia said. "Credit to Noel for stepping up to the plate while others — yes, David Benavidez, I'm talking about you — continue to run and hide."
"This is a massive fight for Jai, and it's refreshing to see a top-tier cruiserweight step forward when so many continue to avoid the challenge," said Mick Francis, Opetaia's longtime manager. "He's proud to defend the Zuffa Boxing and Ring ***** les on the biggest stage."
"When I step into the ring on September 12 against Jai Opetaia in Las Vegas, I intend to defend my world championship. This is the fight I've wanted since becoming a two-time world champion, and I'm ready to deliver," Mikaelian said. "I haven't fought since December 2025 because of circumstances outside of my control. I refused to stay inactive. Champions are meant to defend their ***** les, and that's exactly what I'm prepared to do."
It's certainly a better matchup than the Glanton fight that kicked off this whole debacle in the first place. but I personally would not put any stake in this happening. Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KO) is under contract with Don King, who remains as vexatiously litigant as ever and has a long history of quashing any attempt by his fighters to compete outside of his purview. Dan Rafael reports that King, who'd reached a deal with Benavidez promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, will follow his usual M.O. and "likely" file suit.
#opetaia
"This is a huge card, and I look forward to showing the world once again why I'm the best cruiserweight on the planet," Opetaia said. "Credit to Noel for stepping up to the plate while others — yes, David Benavidez, I'm talking about you — continue to run and hide."
"This is a massive fight for Jai, and it's refreshing to see a top-tier cruiserweight step forward when so many continue to avoid the challenge," said Mick Francis, Opetaia's longtime manager. "He's proud to defend the Zuffa Boxing and Ring ***** les on the biggest stage."
"When I step into the ring on September 12 against Jai Opetaia in Las Vegas, I intend to defend my world championship. This is the fight I've wanted since becoming a two-time world champion, and I'm ready to deliver," Mikaelian said. "I haven't fought since December 2025 because of circumstances outside of my control. I refused to stay inactive. Champions are meant to defend their ***** les, and that's exactly what I'm prepared to do."
It's certainly a better matchup than the Glanton fight that kicked off this whole debacle in the first place. but I personally would not put any stake in this happening. Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KO) is under contract with Don King, who remains as vexatiously litigant as ever and has a long history of quashing any attempt by his fighters to compete outside of his purview. Dan Rafael reports that King, who'd reached a deal with Benavidez promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, will follow his usual M.O. and "likely" file suit.
#opetaia
1 month ago
Caroline Dubois spends some time talking about her disappointment in not being able to secure a ****** le unification fight just yet as she aims to go undisputed, and keeping busy in the meanwhile rather than sitting around and waiting for the big fights to come her way. Dubois would also call out some rivals who she believes to be ducking the smoke.
"It's very disappointing. The goal was to fight either Elif Turhan or Stephanie Han. Unfortunately the Elif Turhan fight fell apart and unfortunately the Stephanie Han fight is something that has to wait, she just fought recently. So, she's resting or recovering and hopefully we can get that fight end of the year, that's the plan. I'm disappointed with Elif. We sent her an offer, she turned it down and, yeah, at the end of the day you can't force someone into the ring."
"There's a few reasons, I'm not going to go into them. At the end of the day, all I can say is the facts. I'm so happy with what we've achieved, I'm so happy for where I'm at, and I'm so excited for the future. And I know another fact is I want to be better…I want to dominate. You have to train to dominate. You have to train, you have to push yourself and I think the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result. So if you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.
"Working with Manny Robles now, I've been with him for three weeks now and it's been really good, really positive, great sparring, the work is good…I'm just happy to be in an exciting, booming gym."
"I think she's a coward. At the end of the day I think she knew I was going to be here, she knew that Mikaela Mayer was going to be here — she probably just thought 'nah, I don't want it'. She doesn't want it and I think it's a lame move. You come all the way out to the UK and you don't turn up? You don't want to be in the mix of some big fights? You got a table full of opponents that could possibly be in [with], you're not about it?! I think it's real disappointing and it shows her character."
#going #don 't
"It's very disappointing. The goal was to fight either Elif Turhan or Stephanie Han. Unfortunately the Elif Turhan fight fell apart and unfortunately the Stephanie Han fight is something that has to wait, she just fought recently. So, she's resting or recovering and hopefully we can get that fight end of the year, that's the plan. I'm disappointed with Elif. We sent her an offer, she turned it down and, yeah, at the end of the day you can't force someone into the ring."
"There's a few reasons, I'm not going to go into them. At the end of the day, all I can say is the facts. I'm so happy with what we've achieved, I'm so happy for where I'm at, and I'm so excited for the future. And I know another fact is I want to be better…I want to dominate. You have to train to dominate. You have to train, you have to push yourself and I think the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result. So if you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.
"Working with Manny Robles now, I've been with him for three weeks now and it's been really good, really positive, great sparring, the work is good…I'm just happy to be in an exciting, booming gym."
"I think she's a coward. At the end of the day I think she knew I was going to be here, she knew that Mikaela Mayer was going to be here — she probably just thought 'nah, I don't want it'. She doesn't want it and I think it's a lame move. You come all the way out to the UK and you don't turn up? You don't want to be in the mix of some big fights? You got a table full of opponents that could possibly be in [with], you're not about it?! I think it's real disappointing and it shows her character."
#going #don 't
1 month ago
Boxer Jai Opetaia has started legal action in the United States to force the IBF to hand back the cruiserweight world ****** le.
The Australian claims the sanctioning body acted unlawfully when it stripped him of his belt following his first fight with promotional outfit Zuffa Boxing.
Opetaia filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Nevada seeking to have his ****** le reinstated, recover damages and legal costs, and prevent the IBF from naming another cruiserweight champion while the litigation continues.
The IBF declined to comment, with a spokesperson telling BBC Sport: "We will release a statement when it is appropriate."
The 19-page complaint - obtained by BBC Sport - claims rival governing bodies have discouraged champions from facing him, citing David Benavidez's decision not to pursue a fight after Opetaia was stripped and alleging the WBC threatened to strip Noel Mikaelian if he agreed to face the Australian instead.
#opetaia #district #sport #stripped
The Australian claims the sanctioning body acted unlawfully when it stripped him of his belt following his first fight with promotional outfit Zuffa Boxing.
Opetaia filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Nevada seeking to have his ****** le reinstated, recover damages and legal costs, and prevent the IBF from naming another cruiserweight champion while the litigation continues.
The IBF declined to comment, with a spokesperson telling BBC Sport: "We will release a statement when it is appropriate."
The 19-page complaint - obtained by BBC Sport - claims rival governing bodies have discouraged champions from facing him, citing David Benavidez's decision not to pursue a fight after Opetaia was stripped and alleging the WBC threatened to strip Noel Mikaelian if he agreed to face the Australian instead.
#opetaia #district #sport #stripped
2 months ago
Lionel Messi has been nominated for an Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly award (ESPY).
The Argentinian footballer joins New York Knicks hero Jalen Brunson in leading a crowded lineup of sports stars for this year's awards show.
Messi and Brunson are nominated in the Best Athlete: Men's Sports category, alongside baseball player Shohei Ohtani and American footballer Matthew Stafford.
Messi is currently playing for Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami CF and is the captain of the Argentina national team.
The Best Athlete: Women's Sports category includes ice hockey player Hilary Knight, golfer Nelly Korda, skier Mikaela Shiffrin and basketballer A'ja Wilson.
This year's ESPYs will return to New York after more than 25 years in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, with Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernandez set to host.
The Argentinian footballer joins New York Knicks hero Jalen Brunson in leading a crowded lineup of sports stars for this year's awards show.
Messi and Brunson are nominated in the Best Athlete: Men's Sports category, alongside baseball player Shohei Ohtani and American footballer Matthew Stafford.
Messi is currently playing for Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami CF and is the captain of the Argentina national team.
The Best Athlete: Women's Sports category includes ice hockey player Hilary Knight, golfer Nelly Korda, skier Mikaela Shiffrin and basketballer A'ja Wilson.
This year's ESPYs will return to New York after more than 25 years in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, with Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernandez set to host.
