In Depth:  sport

Luke Randall

The start of the 2026/27 football season has seen the Manchester United circus burst back into life, with key players now seemingly in open revolt against the club’s hierarchy.

Things had all seemed a bit rosier (or redder) in the garden; former player Michael Carrick had led the club back to the Champions League following a remarkable run of form under his interim tenure, leaving fans excited for the future under his leadership following his permanent appointment at the end of last season.

Graham Daniels

Last Sunday, Manchester City produced an emphatic 3–0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. Haaland, Doku and Cherki scored the goals. Whatever the controversy surrounding their club, City's players demonstrated their quality. It was outstanding football.

But brilliant football and financial integrity are two different things.

Luke Randall

Ben Shelton became the latest American man to come close to winning his home tennis major tournament last week, losing the US Open final in four sets to German player Alexander Zverev.

Shelton, the eighth seed, had been considered one of the top picks to go all the way, taking advantage of an open draw in the absence of Jannik Sinner through injury and with Novak Djokovic’s chances having diminished somewhat this year.

Graham Daniels

This Saturday lunchtime, Tottenham Hotspur play Aston Villa in the Premier League. More than 60,000 people will fill the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and millions more will follow the game around the world. But behind these two global football clubs lies a surprising story: Bible classes.

Aston Villa’s connection is particularly direct. In 1874, four members of the Male Adult Bible Class at Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel decided they needed a winter sport to complement the chapel’s cricket club. They chose football. Aston Villa was born.

Jonny Reid

This summer, my seven-year-old son fell in love with cricket.

Ignited by a trip to the glitzy Hundred competition in Birmingham, fuelled by trips to our local club for training sessions and fanned by a cricket-mad dad, we are now playing daily wherever we find ourselves.

Luke Randall

Much sporting focus has gone into the end of the calendar’s traditional summer events and the start of the new football season, but one development worthy of attention is the uncertainty surrounding the future of LIV Golf, a professional men's golf tour.

The infamous Saudi-backed start-up venture was launched in 2022 to rival the flagship PGA Tour and it pinched several of the game’s biggest names thanks to eye-watering financial incentives: Phil Mickelson was reportedly signed for $200 million, while big-hitter Bryson De Chambeau was offered a $125 million signing bonus and Jon Rahm eventually followed them for a multi-year deal believed to be worth over $300 million.

Graham Daniels

Some of the most powerful people in world football are currently arguing about power. And one of the things they apparently agree on is that leadership should not be about possessing it.

Amid threats of World Cup boycotts, breakaway competitions and an increasingly bitter struggle over Gianni Infantino’s future, one sentence in an extraordinary letter from three of FIFA’s confederation presidents stands out: "Leadership in football is not a possession. It is a duty of service."

Graham Daniels

For England supporters, Wednesday night was painful.

After taking the lead against Argentina, hopes of reaching another World Cup final were alive. But Lionel Messi reminded us, yet again, why he is one of football's greatest players. As former England goalkeeper Joe Hart put it, England "locked the door – they just forgot that Messi carries a skeleton key”.

Jonny Reid

“This is a World Cup swimming in star names...”

Jonathan Liew in The Guardian ¹ has argued that the 2026 tournament has become the "cult of the individual". Messi and Ronaldo are more popular than Argentina and Spain. The race for the Golden Boot, in some circles, has overtaken commentary about the actual tournament itself.

Luke Randall

The 2026 World Cup has already generated a mixture of excellence, shock and national joy as the world’s best teams compete for the greatest trophy of them all in the Americas.

As someone who resides north of the border, it was an unusual joy to witness Scotland’s first win on this stage since 1990, which brought scenes of celebration across the country and a peak audience of over two million, despite the game kicking off at two o'clock in the morning (BST).

Graham Daniels

Every World Cup produces moments that capture global attention; a dramatic goal, a surprise result or an unforgettable individual performance can become part of football history within moments.

Alongside the football itself, there are often visible expressions of Christian faith: a player kneels in prayer before kick-off; a goal-scorer points heavenwards; an interview concludes with thanks to God. Such moments regularly spark discussion, admiration and sometimes criticism.

Luke Randall

We have reached the end of the football season – the point at which winners and losers are determined. The ten-month, 38-game marathon, which began last August, finally draws to its climactic conclusion.

The season’s finish provides either the highest highs or the lowest lows as a year’s effort boils down to a handful of key moments when players must perform at their best or face the unravelling of much of the work they have put in throughout the year.

Luke Randall

The era of Murray Mania is officially over. Jamie Murray has followed younger brother Andy into the sunset following his recent retirement announcement.

The Scot, 40, said that he is bringing the curtain down on a glittering doubles career - and with it, the last of 20 years of magic from the Dunblane duo.

Graham Daniels

Rory McIlroy’s latest Masters victory is, by any standard, a remarkable achievement.

To defend a Green Jacket at Augusta places him in rare company, and to do so amid pressure, inconsistency, and fierce competition only heightens the accomplishment.

Graham Daniels

Two fires caught Glasgow’s attention last week. One was literal: smoke rising from a blaze at Glasgow Central Station that disrupted the heart of the city. The other was more familiar: the flare-up of anger and confrontation surrounding the latest Rangers–Celtic clash.

For a moment, the two seemed to echo one another — one a physical fire, the other the heat of football rivalry spilling over.

Graham Daniels

As a Welshman, I watched the opening weekend of this year’s Six Nations with a mixture of familiarity and unease. Familiarity, because we have seen difficult periods before. Unease, because this one feels deeper.

Much of the attention fell, quite rightly, on the efficiency of France and England, and on Italy’s impressive composure in closing out their win against Scotland. But for those of us with Welsh rugby in our bones, the story was less about the scoreboard and more about what seemed to lie beneath it.

Luke Randall

This year’s Masters snooker tournament at Alexandra Palace provided plenty of intrigue, as well as an interesting point for reflection concerning the mortality of even the most capable human beings.

The world’s top 16 players once again descended on the capital’s famous arena to try to win one of snooker’s three major "Triple Crown" events.

Graham Daniels

The FA Cup Third Round delivered everything we love about the competition: shocks, routs, and stories that make you cheer, groan, or do both at the same time.

Sixth-tier Macclesfield beating Crystal Palace 2–1? Absolutely magical. Manchester City 10–1 Exeter? Brutal. Two extremes of the same weekend, and both can teach us about human reaction - which is exactly what Scripture speaks to.

Jonny Reid

“There is no place for weak men in my dressing room.” That was England captain Ben Stokes’s frustrated verdict after another crushing defeat to Australia in the second Test.

Like many England cricket fans, I’m disillusioned with their performances in Australia this winter. Waking early and checking the score has produced an involuntary groan each time - much to the annoyance of my sleeping wife. Since the Brisbane defeat, the pile-on has been relentless, with every pundit, podcaster and pontificator finding fault in everything from technique and preparation to supposed attitudes and motivations.

Luke Randall

Sport has been plagued by conversations about money in recent years, exacerbated by golf’s high-profile breakaway LIV tour [a professional men's golf tour] and recent demands from elite tennis players for their prize money to be increased.

Golf

The formation of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf circuit in 2022 sparked furious debate in the golfing world, as some of the sport’s top stars departed from the PGA Tour [PGA is an organiser of professional golf tours] for the far greater sums on offer at LIV. This was seen by many as a betrayal of the established structures which had given the players their living, and paid them fairly handsomely already.

Luke Randall

Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka and former men’s Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios have agreed to tennis’s latest iteration of the Battle of the Sexes.

The event, which will take place in late December in Dubai, will be the latest such contest to take place, following Billie Jean King’s high-profile victory over 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in 1973, which is widely considered a watershed moment for the women’s game in its bid to gain greater recognition and funding.

Luke Randall

This year’s edition of the Ryder Cup once again delivered in spectacular style, bringing with it a level of drama, surprise, intensity and quality virtually unmatched by the rest of the year’s sporting calendar.

The golfing season already provides great entertainment from its four major championships alongside its other headline events on the PGA Tour. However, the Ryder Cup provides something altogether different from the norm, with its team format bringing out both the best and worst of the best golfers the USA and Europe have to offer.

Luke Randall

It may be a few weeks since The Open Championship, but one thing struck me during Scottie Scheffler’s victory procession, as one of the crown jewels of the British sporting summer came to an end.

Scheffler, who is well known for being a devoted Christian, stormed to victory at Royal Portrush, shooting 17 under par to finish four shots clear in what was a fairly uncompetitive affair by the final day, as every would-be challenger failed to keep up with his supreme consistency and deadly putting on the greens.

Luke Randall

The first two weeks in July make up the best fortnight of the year for British tennis fans. The sun is (hopefully) shining, the barbecues are sizzling and most importantly, Wimbledon is plastered all over the nation’s top two TV channels.

What a Wimbledon it has been so far. At the time of writing, a record-equalling number of seeds have fallen in the first couple of days, others have barely survived, while several of the favourites remain on course to provide blockbuster entertainment in the latter stages.

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Graham Daniels

As the sun sets on Goodison Park, a stadium that has been a cornerstone of football history for over a century, Everton Football Club prepares to bid farewell to its hallowed ground.

This marks not simply the end of an era but a transition into new beginnings for a club that has been deeply intertwined with the community since its founding in 1878.

Luke Randall

This season has been widely dubbed "the year of the underdog," following a series of shock domestic cup triumphs which have given sleeping giants and fringe clubs rare moments of glory at their national stadia.

In February, Newcastle United kickstarted this trend by beating table-topping Liverpool to win their first major trophy for seventy years. More recently, Crystal Palace beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup, their first ever major honour, before Aberdeen pulled off what was perhaps the greatest shock of them all by beating Celtic on penalties to win their first Scottish Cup for 35 years and deny the hoops a domestic treble, having not been given even half a chance by the viewing public beforehand.

sport watch

Graham Daniels

In a recent book I wrote with Jonny Reid called Spiritual Game Plan, we included a chapter about godly conduct as a Christian fan.

We draw attention to James 3:9-10, which says: "With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."

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Jonny Reid

“Never, ever give up on your dreams.” That was Rory McIlroy’s message after his career-defining triumph at the Masters, completing the Grand Slam and achieving every professional golfer’s dream.

From a young age, he had imagined a version of this moment. And for the last 11 years — since his last major win — he had dreamed of slipping on that iconic Green Jacket and becoming a champion at Augusta.

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Graham Daniels

Earlier this month, my team, Cambridge United, faced Wrexham in an English Football League One fixture.

Not long ago, Wrexham AFC was a struggling non-league team, but now they are close to getting into the Championship. For Wrexham, it would be their third successive promotion, whereas Cambridge United is heading to League Two. The odds were against us.

Luke Randall

Amid the biggest recent sporting headlines, such as Liverpool’s relentless march towards the Premier League title and Jannik Sinner’s doping ban, you may have missed the news from the snooker circuit that John Higgins won his first title in four years at the World open.

The veteran, 49, had not won on the tour since winning the 2021 Players Championship, but his triumphant run in Yushan, China made him the second oldest ranking event winner ever and oldest ranking event finalist since 1986. He defeated Joe O’Connor 10-6 in the final, having also equalled Ronnie O’Sullivan’s record of reaching 146 ranking event quarter finals earlier that week.

Luke Randall

If you watch as much sport as me, you will surely have long ago come to the same conclusion that I have: sport can be very confusing.

Last month, I wrote about the crucial importance of consistency throughout the hectic schedule during the festive period, and this has been seen again this year; Liverpool have gone through the gears to open up a six-point gap with a game in hand, while challengers Arsenal and Chelsea faltered, and at the other end of the table, teams who have not found form are starting to be cut adrift.

Graham Daniels

Professional football has developed a New Year ritual based around the transfer window. In January, midway through the season, a two-fold routine emerges.

First, clubs at both ends of the league tables charge around frantically, trying to add players to their squads to bolster the chances of promotion or avoid relegation. Second, managers get sacked if they have lost more than three games in the Christmas period, regardless of their previous reputation or record. This ritual, often a make-or-break period for many clubs, can significantly influence a manager's career trajectory. 

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Jonny Reid

I’ve been listening to Jimmy Anderson’s autobiography. Anyone familiar with England’s greatest fast bowler might question how engaging his story could be: he’s not known for being the cheeriest or most revealing in interviews.

This book, though, offers a surprising insight into Jimmy as a young boy, before he became the wicket-taking titan we know today. Early in the book he powerfully describes how lonely and isolated he felt as a bullied teenager. As someone who was bullied growing up I could relate to the pain and dissonance he felt, wondering where he belonged, struggling to fit in.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

The 2024 Paralympics has been compulsive viewing for many - myself included. It hasn’t been without controversy in various areas and some of those issues continue to rumble on.

Those of us who use wheelchairs have experienced wheelchair envy as we’ve seen not just the sports wheelchairs, but the everyday wheelchairs that some of the athletes have - that probably cost the same as a family car.

Rebecca Chapman

This long, hot, sporty summer rolls on. Schools have been broken up for weeks, and children are everywhere - including all over my home! My three sons scrap over just about everything in the summer heat. Cries of ‘It’s not fair!’ seem to constantly ring out from one or the other; but how do I discern whose rights matter more when push comes to (literal) shove between the children?

Over in Paris, the Olympic women’s boxing has also been dominated by cries of ‘It’s not fair!’ Just 46 seconds into her bout against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, Italian Angela Carini was punched so hard in the face that she fell to the floor weeping, ended the fight, saying to those in her corner 'Non è giusto' ('It’s not fair'). Later, she said she had feared for her life.

John-Edward Funnell

The running debate over transgenderism has revealed the obvious conflict between two ideologies that the Olympics are attempting to unite.

The controversy around boxer Imane Khelif has been one of the many at this year’s Paris Olympics. Viewers were horrified to see Italian hopeful Angelina Carini pull out of the fight in just 46 seconds to 'save her life.'

JK Rowling tweeted: 'Explain why you're OK with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment.' However it was intended, this comment from such a public figure turned a single boxing match into a global debate about transgender issues.

Luke Randall

It was a familiar feeling for England following Sunday’s European Championship final; being so close to glory, but still not close enough, as they lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin.

After waiting 55 years to reach the final of a major tournament after winning the World Cup in 1966, they have now lost back-to-back finals at the Euros, following their defeat on penalties to Italy at Wembley in 2021. This was also their first major final on foreign soil.