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Jannik Sinner remains on track to win the Sunshine Double, cruising into the semifinals of the Miami Open with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over Frances Tiafoe. The Italian's impressive form continues, with 10 consecutive wins and 30 consecutive sets won at Masters 1000 events, a new record.Sinner's performance against Tiafoe was dominant, serving extremely well and overpowering his opponent from the baseline. He sealed the win with an ace down the T, showcasing his skill and precision.The world No 2 has closed the gap on Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings and is now in a strong position to regain the top spot. With no ranking points to defend, Sinner has a free hit at these tournaments, allowing him to focus on gaining more points.Meanwhile, Arthur Fils staged a remarkable comeback against Tommy Paul, recovering from four match points down to reach his first Masters 1000 semifinal. Fils will face Jiri Lehecka in the next round.

The World Cup playoffs have reached a critical stage, with several high-stakes matches set to determine which European teams will qualify for the tournament. Gennaro Gattuso's Italy are facing a significant challenge against Northern Ireland, a team they have not beaten in a competitive match since 1983.Craig Bellamy's Wales are also in action, taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina in a match that promises to be closely contested. The winner of that tie will face either Poland or Albania in the playoff final.The Republic of Ireland, who reached the playoffs thanks to Troy Parrott's late winner in Hungary, have a tough match against the Czech Republic in Prague. The victor will play either Denmark or North Macedonia at home on Tuesday.Graham Potter's Sweden are another team in action, facing Ukraine in Valencia with the winner hosting Poland or Albania next week. If Sweden win both ties on penalties, they will become the first team to qualify for a World Cup without winning a single match since Hungary in 1954.These matches represent the final hurdle for several teams hoping to qualify for the World Cup, and the pressure is on for managers like Gattuso, Bellamy, and Potter to deliver results.

Marcelo Bielsa, the charismatic and intense manager of Uruguay, returns to England for a friendly match against the host team on Friday. This visit comes four years after he left Leeds United, where he had a hugely successful stint, earning promotion to the Premier League and restoring the fanbase's faith in football. Bielsa's managerial style, known for its radicalism and emphasis on playing the right way, has been both admired and criticized. His teams are known for their high-intensity performances, but also for the physical and mental toll it takes on players. His departure from Leeds United was marked by a boom-bust pattern, where his teams initially perform well but eventually suffer from fatigue and decreased results. During his time at Leeds United, Bielsa was praised for his commitment to social responsibility, having players pick up litter to instill a sense of community and responsibility. His approach to football extends beyond the pitch, emphasizing the role of the sport in society. Uruguay's recent performances have been inconsistent, with a 5-1 friendly defeat to the USA in November 2023 being a significant low point. Luis Suárez, a key player, publicly criticized Bielsa, accusing him of isolating players and creating a culture of fear. Suárez's retirement from international football and subsequent comments have added to the uncertainty surrounding Bielsa's tenure. The upcoming friendly against England provides an opportunity for Bielsa to address these concerns and work towards restoring confidence in his team. Getting key players back in form, such as Darwin Núñez, who has not scored an international goal in 11 games, will be crucial. Bielsa's third World Cup may be his last chance to make a significant impact on the global tournament, and he will be looking to make a strong impression.

Italy and Northern Ireland are set to clash in a pivotal World Cup 2026 qualifier, with both teams eager to reassert their presence on the global football stage. For Italy, it's about regaining their footing after consecutive World Cup failures in 2018 and 2022, while Northern Ireland aims to return to the tournament for the first time in four decades.Gennaro Gattuso, Italy's coach, emphasized the significance of the match, stating, 'This is the most important game of my coaching career so far.' Italy's players, including Mateo Retegui, are equally determined, with Retegui asserting, 'Now is the time to show everyone exactly who we are.'Northern Ireland's manager, Michael O'Neill, faces challenges with a depleted squad, particularly the absence of Conor Bradley and Dan Ballard. Despite these setbacks, O'Neill remains optimistic, highlighting the team's youthful energy and lack of fear.The match, set to take place at Atalanta's Bergamo Stadium, promises to be intense. Gattuso noted Northern Ireland's direct playing style, saying, 'They typically 'toss the ball into the box' and thrive on latching on to second balls.' A win for Italy would likely seal their spot in the World Cup, while a loss could spell the end of O'Neill's tenure as Northern Ireland's manager.As both teams prepare for the crucial encounter, the pressure is palpable. Italy's four-time World Cup wins and football-crazed nation add to the weight of expectation. Will Italy overcome their recent struggles and secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup, or will Northern Ireland pull off a surprise?

Double world darts champion Luke Littler recently visited the England squad at their St George's Park training base, where he hosted a special darts tournament for the players as they prepare for upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.The 19-year-old darts star shared dinner with the footballers before organizing the "Three Lions darts championship" at their Burton base on Tuesday night. In a surprising turn of events, Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale claimed the title of camp champion, leaving Littler thoroughly impressed despite Phil Foden hitting a notable 180 in the final."It was a dream as a football fan to come here to see the facilities, meet all the players and sit down and have dinner and have a laugh with them," said Littler, who is set to travel to Berlin for the latest round of Premier League darts action. "We played a bit of darts – as they were warming up, Thomas Tuchel told me to teach these boys a lesson! There's some good potential there in Phil Foden and Aaron Ramsdale. James Trafford had a little bit as well. The others not so much!"During his visit, Littler was presented with a signed shirt from the England squad, with Jude Bellingham adding a personal touch by giving him a signed jersey featuring the encouraging message "keep smashing it" on the back. The darts champion wished the England squad luck for their upcoming international campaign, expressing hope that they could "bring it home" this summer.

A newly expanded policy from the Trump administration could require travelers from five World Cup-qualified African countries to post a bond of up to $15,000 in order to enter the United States for the tournament.Visa bonds function as security deposits: a one-time payment that is meant to be refunded after a traveler exits the US under the terms of their visa. The amounts typically range between $5,000 and $15,000, and are required for passport holders from certain countries to enter the US legally under B-1 or B-2 visas, which are necessary for business travelers or tourists.The US State Department has mandated these bonds since launching a pilot program in late 2025, targeting many of the same countries affected by the Trump travel ban along with others – predominantly nations from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and parts of Asia. Last week, the state department announced an expansion of the program, with visitors from 50 countries now required to submit the deposits if requested by US consular officials.Among those 50 countries, five have qualified for the World Cup, all from Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia. Though refundable, the cost of the bonds alone is sufficient to make travel to the US prohibitively expensive for most fans from these nations, where average annual income levels are approximately $5,000 per year or less. Tunisia is scheduled to play one group-stage game in the US with the other two in Mexico. Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire will play twice in the US and once in Canada. Algeria and Cape Verde will compete in all three of their group-stage matches in Mexico.Even if affordable for some supporters, the multi-thousand dollar requirement adds another significant complication for fans from these countries, including exorbitant ticket prices for the games themselves, hotel rates far above average, plus additional visa processing delays and potential safety concerns created by the presence of federal immigration officers from ICE and other agencies in US cities.It remains unclear which entities, if any, will be exempt from the visa bonds. While Trump's travel bans contain exemptions for athletes and officials participating in major sporting events like the World Cup, the visa bonds program contains no such provision.The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to commence on June 11, with the final taking place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Football Association (FA) is standing firm in its decision to host the 2035 Women's World Cup final at Wembley Stadium, despite lobbying from Manchester United to have the event held at a rebuilt Old Trafford.Manchester United's chief executive of New Stadium Development, Collette Roche, publicly expressed the club's aspirations to host the 2035 final, but the FA remains committed to staging the showpiece occasion at Wembley.The FA had named Wembley as its preferred venue for the final when submitting its official bid for the tournament to Fifa last November, and this position will not change even if Manchester United succeeds in building a new 100,000-seat stadium before the finals.The ultimate decision on the venue for the final will be taken by Fifa, but it would be a huge surprise if they overruled the wishes of the governing body that is leading the bid. The FA is fronting a joint bid from the home nations to stage the Women's World Cup for the first time in what would be the biggest sporting event ever staged in the UK.The current Old Trafford is one of 22 proposed stadiums in the bid book – 16 in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland – but will be replaced by the new stadium if it is built on time. Manchester United are still in the process of securing funding for a project that could cost over £2bn, while the club also needs to purchase land from the haulage company Freightliner.

Coco Gauff has proven her mental toughness once again by battling through to the semi-finals of the Miami Open, despite facing significant challenges. The American tennis star has been dealing with an unfamiliar arm injury and has been under pressure to revamp her serve, but she has shown remarkable resilience. Gauff's latest victory came against Bencic, where she won 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in a hard-fought match. This marks her best result at her hometown tournament, and she continues to defy expectations. Her ability to overcome adversity and push through difficult situations is a testament to her fighting spirit. In a candid interview, Gauff discussed her struggles with imposter syndrome, revealing that she sometimes feels like she doesn't belong at the top level of tennis. “I think I have to believe that I belong where I am,” she said. “Sometimes I can get imposter syndrome and even when they’re saying my accomplishments during the warm-up, it doesn’t feel like me.” Gauff's serve has been under intense scrutiny recently, but she managed to deliver a solid performance against Bencic, firing down six aces and committing just five double faults. Her determination to believe in herself and her abilities has been key to her success. Next, Gauff will face Karolína Muchová, the 13th seed, in the semi-finals. Despite Muchová being one of the in-form players on the tour, Gauff leads their head-to-head 5-0, giving her a significant advantage.

French striker Kylian Mbappe has announced that he has made a full recovery from a knee injury and is eager to play all of Real Madrid's remaining matches in the season run-in. His goal is to build momentum towards the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place from June 11 to July 19.Mbappe, 27, had missed four league games this year due to the lingering knee issue. However, he made a comeback by featuring off the bench in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Atletico on Sunday.The forward has been named in the French national squad for friendlies against Brazil on March 26 and Colombia three days later in the United States, which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.“I have made a 100 percent recovery,” Mbappe told online sports newspaper AS. “I prepared for the last two World Cups in the best way possible, which is to play, score goals, win titles, and fight until the last minute for my club, and this year I am going to do the same to arrive in top form.”Mbappe had a standout performance in the 2022 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick in France's final loss to Argentina and winning the tournament's golden boot award with eight goals.He also expressed frustration with speculative reports about his recovery, stating that “some false things have been said” about his return for the 1998 and 2018 world champions.France will compete in Group I at the World Cup alongside Norway, Senegal, and the winner of an intercontinental playoff.