With Sam Kerr leading the wealth of talent still to return, challengers will need new signings to step up quickly

Africa’s most populous nation are staring down the barrel of not qualifying for a second successive World Cup

The ugly ‘conditional obligation’ has been designed to make transfers as risk-free as possible

Premier League teams have spent nearly £3 billion on players this summer. Other countries can’t keep up

Win over Burnley could be flash of inspiration to end the grim talk

The creator has been seen as the butt of the joke but his latest collaboration is what the people want

For 13 years an anonymous social media account has posted transfer gossip to the delight – and despair – of fans

“The debate over regulation is a battle of stories. The version that is winning is not the right one.”

The phenomenon has contributed to less partisanship and renewed focus on numbers to assess players

WWE and its martial arts stablemate UFC may have delivered a knockout blow to pay-per-view in the US

Despite his first stuttering season, the Italian’s thrilling opening-night winner shows value of bond with the fans

Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is only the latest footballer to endure a months-long Mexican standoff

The Championship side’s stadium and club alike have been allowed to drift into state of disrepair

What are the storylines that will define the Premier League season?

No one knows how Liverpool will react to Diogo Jota’s death, but there may be a lesson from one club’s tragic past

As the sport has come to dominate global culture, it has fallen prey to venal politics and the mindless pursuit of growth

Sport is being reinvented for the digital age. In a special report, we explore how they are coping with the change.

Ipswich’s relegation was not dramatic but it is noteworthy nonetheless