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Arsenal are looking to establish themselves as the dominant force in English football and could now be set to accelerate their pursuit of a star who has an intriguing link with a key member of their squad.

Mikel Arteta is into his sixth year at the Gunners and will hope his side can seize the opportunity that lies ahead in the Premier League title race, given they have managed to amass a four-point lead at this point.

Ultimately, their frustrating draw away to Sunderland before the international break will be a source of inconvenience. However, no team is going to win every match across a whole campaign, so they will put it behind them ahead of stiff tests against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Looking at their central priorities, lifting the Premier League title has to be the main focus. Nevertheless, Pete O’Rourke confirmed on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast that Arteta could be set to engage in talks over a contract extension later next year.

He said: “Yeah, I think for certain it’s something that they will get to, as you said, it’s probably not the priority right now. Arteta’s contract will take care of itself. I’ve got no doubts about that. Arteta’s happy at Arsenal. Arsenal are obviously very happy with him.

“I think for Arteta himself probably his focus and priority right now is on success for Arsenal this season. I’m sure later in 2026, I’m sure there’ll be talks held between Arteta and Arsenal to see if they can sort out his future and extend his stay at the Emirates as well.”

Planning for the future is also firmly part of his remit at the Emirates, and he could now be set to complete a surprising deal for a star who has a familiar family name.

Arsenal could seal Quinten Timber free transfer

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are plotting a move for Feyenoord midfielder Quinten Timber, who is set to see his contract expire in Rotterdam come the summer of 2026.

Of course, he is the brother of Gunners fan favourite Jurrien, and this could hand them an edge in the race given their obvious tie to the player.

Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and West Ham United are also alert to his situation as he represents a lucrative option to strengthen ahead of next season without having to pay a transfer fee.

On the flipside, Dortmund may be willing to bid for the Utrecht-born midfielder in January, in case Feyenoord opt to take what they can get for his services rather than allow his deal to run down.

Scoring twice and laying on a solitary assist in 14 matches this campaign, 24-year-old Timber has been on the Gunners’ radar for an extended period of time, something that won’t come as a surprise due to his brother’s presence in North London.

Now, they could complete a rare scenario where twins are on board at the same club. However, Dortmund are deemed to be leading the race at this point.

Arsenal are also eyeing an explosive winger to compete with Noni Madueke

At one point during the international break, it appeared as if both Napoli and Atalanta would have new coaches in place for this weekend's meeting between the two sides at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. However, while the Bergamaschi inevitably sacked Ivan Juric the day after their shocking 3-0 defeat at home to Sassuolo, Antonio Conte remains in charge of the Partenopei – which is actually something of a surprise.

Conte may have led Napoli to just their fourth Serie A title six months ago, but his relationship with his players appears to be even worse than their results right now, with the coach comparing his team to a corpse after exhibiting zero signs of life in their latest loss at Bologna.

So, what on earth is going on with the Italian champions? Has Conte really lost the dressing room? Or is he simply trying to provoke a reaction out of his underperforming team by casting doubt on his future?

Getty Images Sport'Great knowledge of what football really means'

Conte is obviously no stranger to controversy. The notoriously combustible coach has repeatedly fallen out with his employers – and usually over perceived parsimony in the transfer market. His legendary lament at Juventus that "You cannot eat at a €100 restaurant with €10 in your pocket" has become a part of the lexicon of Italian football. Even by Conte's standards, though, it was jarring to hear him bemoaning a lack of investment before he'd even taken charge of his first match as Napoli coach last year.

In that particular instance, though, Conte did have some cause for complaint, as the horribly handled Victor Osimhen affair held up the club's summer recruitment for far longer than it should have done. The equally-outspoken Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis also acknowledged that last season's Scudetto success was made all the more remarkable for the fact that Conte had had to deal with the sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for financial reasons midway through their title challenge.

"He managed through incidents and injuries to make do with what he had, using not one, but four or five different tactical systems," De Laurentiis enthused at the trophy parade in May. "Conte showed the whole world that systems are useless and that all you need is a great knowledge of what football really means. So, for him who took us all the way to win the second Scudetto in three years, I ask for an applause, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'There had been errors'

However, in the very same speech that De Laurentiis used to thank Conte, he also wished him "continuing success in his professional life" – which appeared to confirm rumours that the coach had already decided to part company with the Partenopei after just one season in charge – and return to Juventus.

Conte insisted all along, though, that he wouldn't make a decision on his future until after he had spoken to De Laurentiis and, after showdown talks with the president, he revealed that he would continue as coach because the club had acknowledged that certain mistakes had been made over the course of the campaign.

"I think everyone is aware of what happened in January," Conte told in June. "During the season, some things didn't really make me happy. New players arrived only in the last week [of the summer window]: (Scott) McTominay, (Billy) Gilmour, (David) Neres and (Romelu) Lukaku. Honestly, I didn’t like that.

"But I believe I was good at accepting the situation and not giving excuses to my players and myself. When you sign [a contract], there are honours and duties. But when we spoke, they admitted there had been errors. It happens, though, in the first year of marriage, so once I was reassured on certain things, we agreed to continue and now we must defend the Scudetto."

Getty Images Sport'Nine new players are too many'

Unfortunately, this particular marriage could very easily end in divorce – but not because of any fresh tension over transfers between Conte and the club.

Napoli pretty much gave Conte everything they wanted during the summer, signing eight players for a combined cost of roughly €200 million (when the obligatory fees are taken into account), while at the same time making free agent Kevin De Bruyne their second-highest earner after Lukaku. By Serie A standards, this constituted a colossal spending spree – and yet Conte has used Napoli's recruitment as an excuse for his side's patchy performances so far this season.

"Last year we won a championship where the players pushed themselves to the limit; we had unity in every way," Conte told after a shocking 6-2 Champions League loss at PSV. "In my opinion, nine new players are too many.

"We opened the transfer window because we were forced to do so. We tried to strengthen the squad but it takes time and patience. Bringing nine new players into the dressing room isn't easy. The old guys, myself and those from last year, need to step up our game and find unity again."

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AFPDe Bruyne blow

However, while Napoli looked like their old selves in beating Inter four days after being embarrassed in Eindhoven, they've struggled ever since to score goals due to a general lack of cohesion and creativity.

The loss of De Bruyne to a serious hamstring injury sustained while converting a penalty in the Inter game has understandably had a devastating impact on Napoli's attack, and partly explains why the goals have dried up for Rasmus Hojlund in recent weeks – which is a major problem given Lorenzo Lucca is looking like a poor signing and Lukaku is still not back to full fitness. Indeed, Napoli have now failed to score in their last three games in all competitions.

However, what's really troubling Conte is his team's work-rate, as the Partenopei are not playing with anything like the same dynamism as last season. The obvious explanation is that a team unburdened by European football last season is still getting used to the added stress and strain of competing in the Champions League. Some supporters and pundits are pointing the finger at Conte, though.

Dominik Szoboszlai has denied taunting Ireland players after the Liverpool midfielder became embroiled in a social media storm following Hungary's World Cup qualifying loss against Heimir Hallgrimsson's side. Ireland dramatically clinched a 3-2 victory in the dying moments as Troy Parrott completed his hat-trick to help his nation secure a spot in the play-offs.

Szoboszlai accused of mocking Irish fans

Liverpool star Szoboszlai was visibly distraught at full-time as Hungary twice gave up the lead to an Ireland side that refused to give in. Daniel Lukacs handed Hungary a third-minute advantage before Parrott scored an equaliser 12 minutes later. Barnabas Varga then made it 2-1 in the 37th minute as Hungary went in at the break with their noses in front.

Former Tottenham forward Parrott, however, had a different plan as he once again equalised in the 80th minute before scoring a last-gasp winner. With three points, Ireland finished second in their group behind Portugal and progressed to the qualifying play-offs, which will be played in March.

After Varga's goal, Szoboszlai was seen making a tear-wiping gesture. The video went viral on social media after the clash, as many believed the Reds midfielder attempted to mock the Irish fans. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSzoboszlai speaks out

However, the Hungary international has claimed his gesture was a joke between his Hungary team-mates. 

Speaking to , the 25-year-old said: "It is still difficult to accept what happened. Unfortunately, we have to live with it and move on. There is certainly a reason why this always happens to us. But we try to take the positives out of the most difficult times. We had a chance until the end; we believed that we could make the playoffs. This (the celebration) is a joke between my own teammates, András Schäfer, Barnabás Varga and Péter Szappanos. If it was meant for the Irish, I would tell them."

Ex-Premier League star's live TV gaffe

Former Ireland international Kevin Doyle, who represented the likes of Wolves and Reading in his playing days, was helping to cover the game for RTE Sports. At full-time, after Parrott scored the match-winning goal, the 42-year-old celebrated wildly inside the studio. RTE posted an edited version of his celebration, but the full scenes were captured off camera – with an uncut video making its way onto social media. 

In that, Doyle appeared to bellow in the direction of Szoboszlai: "Suck on that, you Liverpool c***!" He, however, quickly apologised to former Reds midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who was also on punditry duty.

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AFPWhen will Ireland play in the World Cup play-offs?

Ireland will now take their place in the play-off draw, which will be held on Thursday, November 20. The semi-finals are set to start on March 26, 2026, with the finals taking place five days later.

There are 16 teams that are fighting for just four places at the World Cup finals in North America. Having kept themselves in the hunt for tickets, Ireland could be paired with the likes of Wales, Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo. 

Alex Bregman returned to Houston with a boom.

The longtime Astros third baseman is back in his old home on Monday night with his new team. Now with the Red Sox, he is in Houston for the first time as a visiting player. He made the most of his return.

Fans at Daikin Park gave Bregman a nice ovation before his first at-bat, before he took a 1–1 sweeper from Cristian Javier and deposited it in the left field seats for a two-run home run. That gave Boston a 2–0 lead early.

Video is below.

Bregman looked right at home hitting in his old park.

The three-time All-Star signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox this offseason, and the investment has paid off for Boston. In 73 games this season, Bregman is slashing .301/.382/.543 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs. His .925 OPS is the highest he has posted since 2019.

The 31-year-old can opt out of his contract after the 2025 season, and if he keeps playing like this, he may hit the open market again this winter.

Leeds 2019 and Brisbane 2021 made strong claims to the crown, but Kolkata 2001 still prevailed among the fans as the greatest Test match of the 21st century

Karthik Krishnaswamy21-Jun-20259:15

The Greatest Test: India roar back to victory in Kolkata, 2001

What defines a great Test match? Comebacks? Close finishes? Underdog triumphs? The platonic ideal of the final session of the final day starting with all four results still in play?Yes, all that, sure, but the collective wisdom in our shortlist to find the Greatest Test of the 21st century, and the collective wisdom of our readers, have given us another answer. Eighteen of the 32 Tests that lined up at the start of this exercise involved Australia, and 12 of them ended in Australian defeat. The three that reached the final round of voting, ended, in chronological order, with Australia losing by 171 runs, Australia losing by one wicket, and Australia losing by three wickets.Sorry, Australia. Cricket fans (as events at Lord’s last week no doubt showed you) love to see you lose. In times of despair and ennui, we seek solace in your heartbreaks, streaming them play by play on our devices or minds’ eyes.It is, of course, the ultimate backhanded compliment. Australia have lost fewer Tests in this century than any of the other teams that compete in the World Test Championship – this despite playing more Tests than anyone other than England. It’s precisely because Australia have been so hard to beat that their defeats have featured some of the most stirring individual and team performances of our time. This is why 12 of Australia’s 66 Test defeats in the 21st century – that’s more than one in six – are ESPNcricinfo-certified classics.VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid relax after their 376-run partnership in March 2001•Getty ImagesWhile other candidates were unlucky to miss out on a spot in the final round – Birmingham 2005, for instance, received a surprisingly small share of your votes despite its place in Ashes folklore – the three Tests that made it – Kolkata 2001, Leeds 2019, Brisbane 2021 – fully deserved their places. They weren’t just great Test matches; they all had that transcendent quality that puts them among the greatest sporting contests of their time. Even as they unfolded before our eyes, they gave the feeling that they existed outside reality, that the field of play was inhabited by beings governed by physical laws different to those that constrain the rest of us.Any of the three finalists could have won, and the chances are that you might have chosen a different winner if the poll was designed a little differently, or conducted it a week earlier or later, or if the gods of internet algorithms had brought it to your notice in a different way, or if the demographics of our audience were a little different, or if cricket’s political economy had a different look. While voters on ESPNcricinfo – who made up nearly 68% of the total count – overwhelmingly backed the winner, Kolkata, results went differently elsewhere: voters on our X and YouTube handles put Leeds in first place, for instance, and those on our WhatsApp channel plumped for Brisbane.All three Tests made equally strong cases, so it’s apt to wonder how one of them ended up with over 49% of the votes and the other two with roughly 25% each. What did Eden Gardens have that Headingley and Gabba did not?The answer, of course, is that it’s all subjective. So let’s talk about the subjective. I was a class IX student in March 2001, and my consumption of that Test match and that series was often indirect, restricted during school hours to terse dispatches from classmates sent to the audio-visual room at intervals proportional to the teacher’s interest in cricket and generosity of spirit.”Laxman and Dravid still batting. 398 for 4.” Cheering in the classroom. Half an hour later: “431 for 4, Laxman 196.” Pandemonium. Until I got home to catch the last half hour or so, and then the highlights, it was up to my imagination to fill in the gaps.Part of the beauty of Test cricket comes from how much of it lives in our imaginations, how intensely we feel even the bits that we aren’t in a position to watch, and while this is still true today, it was truer in 2001 than in 2019 or 2021. So much of Kolkata 2001 took place in our imaginations, and so much of it, in the aftermath, has existed in the reliving, the retelling, the little tricks of memory. The drama contained in the highlights packages – Harbhajan Singh’s offbreaks spitting like cobras from a length, VVS Laxman’s feet dancing one way to whip against the turn and another to drive inside-out, Rahul Dravid gesturing angrily to the press box, the look on Shane Warne’s face when he’s duped by Sachin Tendulkar’s wrong’un – ennoble the bits that got left out. How well must Glenn McGrath have bowled, ball after ball, to finish with 14-8-18-4 in India’s first innings? Even ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball can’t help – it’s all scoring and no commentary.Leeds and Brisbane contained cricket just as breathtaking as Kolkata, but mystique? If you ask on X and reach the right eyes, someone with access to ball-tracking data might DM you the line and length co-ordinates of the Mohammed Siraj ball that Steven Smith fended to gully.Final day, fading light, and India triumph to end Australia’s 16-Test streak•Hamish Blair/Getty ImagesBut mystique isn’t the only reason Kolkata got your vote. Mystique can only get you so far when you’re up against epics that everyone, including kids who weren’t even around in 2001, followed breathlessly, like, yesterday. Mystique can only do so much when it’s up against recency bias. And it’s perfectly okay to be biased towards India’s dismantling of the Gabba’s , with an attack that had bowled all of 10 balls in Test cricket before that series taking 20 wickets and paving the way for an unforgettable fourth-innings chase. It’s perfectly okay to be biased towards England winning after being bowled out for 67, towards Ben Stokes going from 3* off 73 balls to 135* off 219, and the drama of a last-wicket stand that survived, off successive balls, a fluffed run-out chance and an lbw that would have been dead if the bowling team hadn’t run out of reviews.It’s some achievement, then, to beat Leeds 2019 and Brisbane 2021 in a poll in the year 2025 – an achievement, you might say, not unlike following on and beating an Australia team with 16 successive wins under its belt.There have been other Tests with hat-tricks, and other Tests featuring partnerships that batted through a full day’s play. There have been other Tests won by injury-ravaged underdogs, other spectacular takedowns of all-timer XIs, other Tests won from hopeless positions, and other results that snapped formidable winning streaks. Other teams have found ways to win with time running out, and other teams have won Tests with startling interventions from part-timers. Other Tests have been played on true pitches that encouraged strokeplay, other Tests on pitches with something in them for fast spin bowlers, and other Tests on lightning outfields that rewarded wristy artistry. Other great, twisty Test matches have sat in the middle of great, twisty series. Crowds of 90,000 and more have lent an electric air to other Tests at other stadiums.Kolkata 2001 contained all those ingredients. Which other Test match – from the 21st or any other century – can make the same claim?

Iran have announced they will skip the FIFA World Cup 2026 final draw in Washington, D.C. after several members of their delegation were denied U.S. visas, according to state news agency IRNA. The federation said the decision is connected to issues beyond football and has asked FIFA to intervene. The draw is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.

Getty Images SportBoycott reason explained.

The Iranian Football Federation’s spokesman said the delegation encountered visa issues and informed FIFA it would not attend the Dec. 5 ceremony at the Kennedy Center, according to ESPN. Tehran said only partial approvals were granted and that the decision was based on the federation’s stated principles.

The delegation was expected to be led by federation president Mehdi Taj, who is also a vice president of the Asian Football Confederation and serves on two FIFA committees involved in World Cup operations.

AdvertisementGetty Images NewsWhite house travel restrictions

The visa denials come in the context of President Donald Trump’s June 2025 executive order establishing travel restrictions for citizens of 12 countries, including Iran. The order includes exemptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently addressed questions about access to the United States for upcoming tournaments. Speaking at the FIFA Congress, he said the U.S. government has assured FIFA that international visitors, including fans, will be welcomed at the 2026 World Cup. Infantino said these assurances followed meetings between FIFA and U.S. officials as part of the White House Task Force on FIFA World Cups.

Infantino has made similar remarks in recent months, emphasizing continued coordination with U.S. government agencies to ensure security, travel, and transportation logistics for international attendees. Human Rights Watch has separately urged FIFA to monitor developments closely and be prepared to reassess planning if required.

Boycott's impact

Iran’s decision comes as organizers prepare for the largest World Cup to date, with 48 teams set to participate in the June 11-July 19 tournament. The expanded format increases the number of participating nations and the logistical considerations involved for FIFA.

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AFPDraw ceremony proceeds amid uncertainty

The World Cup draw ceremony will take place as scheduled on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., determining the group assignments for the 48 participating nations. The White House has not yet commented on Iran's boycott announcement. 

It is understood that the auction will be held at the end of November, ahead of the 2026 season

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Oct-2025The five franchises in the WPL are set for a revamp, with the BCCI deciding to hold a mega auction ahead of the 2026 season. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the franchises have been told informally about the mega auction, which is likely to be held by end of November.The franchises are awaiting confirmation from the WPL on the number of retentions, the auction purse, the retention slabs and how many right-to-match (RTM) card options would be available. Those decisions will be finalised by the WPL committee, but there is no confirmation on when they are likely to meet. The dates for the 2026 edition are yet to be announced, although the BCCI had indicated earlier that the tournament would be held in the January-February window.The five-team WPL, the most lucrative event in women’s cricket, was launched in 2023 with Mumbai Indians emerging as the inaugural champions. Mumbai are the defending champions, while Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the title in 2024.It is understood that both Mumbai and RCB, along with Delhi Capitals, losing finalists in all three seasons of the WPL so far, are three teams who were not in favour of the mega auctions. All three franchises, it is learned, reasoned that they have worked hard to build their squads over the past three seasons and asking them to dismantle just when the WPL brand is getting established, could prove to be counter-productive.It is understood, however, that the two other franchises – Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz – support a mega auction. Both these teams have never made the final and are keen to overhaul their squads and rebuild. One WPL official said that while they understood the reservations of the three franchises against the mega auction, it was important to ensure the tournament had five strong teams, otherwise the imbalance could only harm the brand. The official also pointed out that franchises like RCB have shown in the IPL that they can build their brand identity independent of the players retained, though they agreed the presence of Indian star Virat Kohli was well leveraged by the franchise.Mumbai Indians celebrate with the 2025 WPL trophy•Getty ImagesThis official pointed out that at the same time, the WPL would ensure that teams would still have the opportunity to retain their core. It is understood while some teams were in favour of being allowed to retain at least six or seven players, the WPL could lean closer to five. What also needs to be worked out as part of the retention formula is how many RTMs each team could exercise at the auction along with the combination of capped and uncapped players.For the IPL mega auction in 2025, each of the 10 franchises were allowed a maximum of six retentions via a combination of retention and RTM. The six would comprise a maximum five capped players (Indian/overseas) and maximum of two uncapped Indian players. The RTM option gives a franchise the chance to buy back a player during the auction by matching the highest bid made for the player by another franchise once the bidding is over. The RTM rule has never been used in WPL auctions.The WPL has been viewed as a gamechanger in women’s cricket, especially because of the monetary benefits for players. In 2023, Viacom 18 bought the WPL broadcast rights for INR 951 crore (USD 116.7 million approx.) for the period 2023 to 2027. The per-match value was worth INR 7.09 core (USD 866,000 approx.). India’s star batter Smrit Mandhana, the first player to be bought at the inaugural WPL auction (2023), remains the most expensive buy at INR 3.2 cr ($415,000 approx.).

Manchester United have an exciting production line of stars for the future, and now appear to be interested in adding to that by capturing a gem that shone at the Under-17 World Cup.

The Red Devils will have enjoyed taking some time over the international break to digest what has been a credible start to the Premier League campaign, even if Ruben Amorim came under pressure during the early stages at Old Trafford.

Sitting tenth with a game in hand, Manchester United could move as high as fourth position with three points against Everton on Monday night, albeit they could be without Matheus Cunha due to a surprise injury concern.

Ben Jacobs confirmed on X that the Brazilian had suffered a head knock during training, forcing him to miss Altrincham’s Christmas light switch-on as a result, sparking attention on social media.

Nevertheless, the nature of his injury looks only to be minor, so there may still be a chance that he features against the Toffees if deemed fit to do so by the Red Devils’ medical staff.

As ever, Manchester United will hope to avoid a mounting list of absentees over the festive period. However, that is bound to affect everyone, especially with a heavy fixture schedule.

The January window could prove pivotal at Old Trafford, and the Red Devils are now favourites to sign Ajax prodigy Jorthy Mokio ​​​​​​amid concerns over Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo.

Now, they also have eyes on a gem who performed at his best during the Under-17 World Cup, which has garnered attention from clubs around Europe.

Man Utd make approach to sign Mohamed Zongo

According to Africa Foot, Manchester United have made an approach to sign Tenakourou Academy star Mohamed Zongo, who they are now keen to hold discussions over signing on a permanent basis.

At only 15 years of age, the Burkina Faso youth international shone at the Under-17 World Cup with two goals and three assists to his name, leading to him being dubbed a “revelation” in some quarters.

Earning man of the match awards several times during the competition, his highlight came in a 1-0 victory over Germany where he was the only scorer in a famous victory for his country.

An attacking midfielder by trade and capable of featuring across the forward areas, Zongo is also on the radar of Manchester City, Villarreal and Anderlecht, illustrating how high his ceiling could potentially be with the correct development path.

Ultimately, he still has a tonne of growth left before coming into contention at first-team level overseas. However, Manchester United may be the best environment to earn his stripes.

Mainoo 2.0: Man Utd can axe Ugarte for one of England's "best young players"

Mere days after the Rangers and manager Bruce Bochy mutually agreed to end his managerial duties, the franchise has already landed on its new skipper.

It didn't have to look far, as Texas has reportedly hired Skip Schumaker as their next manager, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. After a two-year stint as the Marlins' manager, he spent this past season with the Rangers as a special assistant.

Schumaker, 45, was brought in as a senior advisor to president of baseball operations Chris Young after his tenure with Miami came to a close. He was the National League's Manager of the Year in 2023 after he led Miami to an 84-78 record and a wild-card berth.

When Texas announced that Bochy would not be returning as manager, the team mentioned that he had been offered a role to remain with the franchise in their front office in an advisory capacity. Bochy, 70, spent three seasons in the Rangers' dugout and led the team to their first World Series title in '23. He won three World Series championships as the Giants' manager, a position he held from 2007 to '19 after more than a decade leading the Padres.

Overall, the tournament recorded a reach of 446 million on digital in India, greater than the combined total of the last three editions

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2025The 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup final in Navi Mumbai, where hosts India beat South Africa to lift their maiden title, attracted a record 185 million users on JioHotstar, the official streaming platform in India. It equalled the viewership of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final and exceeded the average daily reach of the 2025 IPL.Apart from that, 92 million tuned in on Connected TV (CTV), equalling the CTV viewership of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final and the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 final, which also involved India as one of the teams. Overall, the World Cup recorded a reach of 446 million on digital in India, the highest ever for a women’s tournament, greater than the combined total of the last three editions.Earlier, the India-Pakistan group-stage match on October 5 had set a record for the most viewers tuning in for a women’s international match: 28.4 million. That pales in comparison to the number of viewers the final drew.The DY Patil Stadium, the venue for the final, was also packed to capacity, with 39,555 watching India make history.