What is Six Kings Slam? And how much will Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz receive for playing?
Exhibitions are meant to promote the sport and take it to new audiences. Organisers want the best players in the world to feature because they will sell more tickets. Roger Federer played Rafael Nadal in Cape Town in 2020 in front of 51,954 fans – a reported record, external for a tennis crowd at the time, albeit not an official match. Alcaraz – a gifted, highly entertaining shot-maker – plays a lot of exhibitions. He faced Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe in New York and North Carolina respectively at the start of the year Alcaraz and Tiafoe also took part in an event in Puerto Rico, and are scheduled to play alongside Emma Raducanu and Amanda Anisimova in New Jersey in December. The Spaniard has also been vocal about the strain of the increasingly packed calendar, saying in 2024 they are “going to kill us in some way”. When asked last year about playing so many exhibitions, Alcaraz said: “I have seen that many people talk about my calendar because I have put many exhibitions [in]. “But you have to separate the calendar and the exhibitions – they are different things.” Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero believes, external the style of play at exhibitions – which tend to be about entertainment, rather than winning – helps his charge relax.
Stuart Hogg: Retiring in bid to rescue marriage was ‘biggest mistake of my life’
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg has revealed that he retired from rugby in an attempt to rescue his marriage – a decision he views as the “biggest mistake of my life”. Hogg called time on his career in 2023 at the age of 31 – shortly before the World Cup that same year – but following a tumultuous spell out of the game, resumed playing in 2024 after signing for French club Montpellier. The British and Irish Lion in November 2024 admitted to abusing his estranged wife Gillian and was sentenced to a five-year non-harassment order and fined after breaching bail for repeatedly contacting his ex-partner. Hogg admits that he caused hurt to people around him but has now restored some stability to his life. “I missed the buzz, the changing room, the banter. I missed rugby more than I ever realised,” Hogg told The Rugby Paper. “I gave up on my rugby career to try to save my marriage. At the time I didn’t know who I was. “I was up to my eyeballs in antidepressants. I didn’t know what was going on in life, whether I was making people happy or sad. I used alcohol to escape. I was purely existing. “The Doddie Aid cycle ride from Scotland to Rome changed everything. For the first time since retiring, I felt part of a team again. I came back and told my dad, ‘I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life’. “I’m in a better place mentally than I’ve been in years. I used to think being selfish was strength, but I took that too far. I hurt people. “Now I’m learning to be selfless for the right reasons – for my kids, my partner, my team. I know I’ll never be the same Stuart Hogg I once was, but I’m OK with it. I’ve found peace.” Hogg, who won 100 Scotland caps and made two Test appearances for the Lions, underwent Achilles surgery in April and has yet to play for Montpellier this season.
Skipper Cup quarterfinal fixtures confirmed – FBC News
The quarterfinal fixtures for the 2025 Skipper Cup competition have been confirmed. In the senior men’s division, Naitasiri will meet Ba, Suva will take on Nadi, Lautoka will clash with Tailevu, while defending champions Nadroga face Malolo. In the Under-20 grade, Naitasiri will meet Vatukoula, Ba will go up against Macuata, Nadroga face Suva and Nadi take on Tailevu. Article continues after advertisement Meanwhile, in the Subrails Marama Cup, Nasinu will play Lautoka, Suva meet Naitasiri, Namosi take on Nadi and Kadavu will face Nadroga. While the fixtures have been confirmed, the venues are yet to be announced. The quarterfinals will be held this Saturday. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Kaizer Chiefs back to fighting for top 8
Kaizer Chiefs could very much be out of the picture when it comes to fighting for the league. Amakhosi won their opening three Betway Premiership fixtures and appear to be this year’s surprise package but poor form and coaching instability have seen them drop to fifth on the log. During the transfer window, more than 10 players were signed, but only a few have made a noticeable difference to the team so far. With Nasreddine Nabi gone as coach, it is up to Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze to get the Glamour Boys back to winning ways. It was the duo who inspired Kaizer Chiefs to three wins in their opening matches this season. At the time, Nabi was attending to his wife in Tunisia before returning late in August. Can Kaizer Chiefs turn the corner? With matches against Siwelele and Durban City coming up later this month, this is where they can get back to winning ways. Six points in two matches will see them jump on the log and back in the title mix. With Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates winning games with ease, Amakhosi could find it hard to compete. Sekhukhune United have been a team to watch, having topped the log for much of the season so far. For Kaizer Chiefs, they need to turn draws into wins if they are to challenge for the Betway Premiership. A loss or a draw will see them drop to ninth or 10th, which has been their familiar position in recent years. The likelihood is that Amakhosi will once fight for a top 8 finish this season, given that their main priority might be the CAF Confederation Cup. With the team they have currently, it doesn’t look possible for them to win both the CAF CC and the Betway Premiership this season. Where will Chiefs finish this season?
Speaking out about racism ended my rugby career, says former England star Luther Burrell
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Former England centre Luther Burrell says that speaking out about the racism he had endured playing rugby ended his career in the sport. In 2023, an independent investigation found that Burrell was the victim of racial abuse during his time at Newcastle Falcons (now Newcastle Red Bulls). The investigation concluded that the allegations were true “on the balance of probability” but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle, and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) chose not to take any disciplinary action. The previous year, the 15-cap England international, who is of Jamaican descent, had spoken to The Mail on Sunday about the racism he endured at Newcastle and said he was subjected to comments about slavery, bananas and fried chicken, adding that “racial banter” had become “normalised” among team-mates. Among the evidence gathered by the inquiry was a post on a players’ WhatsApp group that contained a “wholly inappropriate racist term”. Burrell spent the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons at Kingston Park, departing in June at the end of his contract shortly after making the abuse he faced public, and the only professional rugby he has played since is three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians. He was 34 at the time of the allegations and is adamant that speaking out about racism played a pivotal role in his inability to earn another contract in the sport. open image in gallery Luther Burrell was the victim of racial abuse during his time at Newcastle (Getty) “I have absolutely had to retire because of what went on,” said Burrell in an interview with BBC Sport. “I wanted to carry on playing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations going on. “That was difficult – I had to just accept the fate and accept that this whole process is a lot bigger than me.” Burrell won 15 England caps between 2014 and 2016, scoring four tries, with three of those coming during the 2014 Six Nations. Those caps all came during a successful seven-year spell with Northampton Saints where he won the Premiership and the European Challenge Cup at the end of the 2013-14 campaign. He then moved to Newcastle in September 2020, after a short spell in rugby league with Warrington Wolves, and hasn’t found a new club since leaving Kingston Park three years ago. The now-37-year-old also opened up about the prejudice he feels he faced in the England set-up and says that racism had become normalised in rugby dressing rooms. “I’ve had several traumatic experiences within England camp,” added Burrell. “Some discrimination and some just old-school mentality that’s really unacceptable. “[Racism] is something that has been dressed up as banter and that’s been the problem that I’ve personally suffered and seen. Over a period of time you just learn to believe that it’s the norm and that is fine and that it’s not malicious, but that’s nonsense.” open image in gallery Burrell’s only professional rugby since the investigation is three games for the Barbarians (Getty Images) Burrell says he finally decided to speak out after a Newcastle teammate referred to him as a “slave” and told him to put sun cream on his ankles and wrists “where your shackles were” but insisted throughout the investigation that he was keen to institute change within rugby, rather than targeting individuals for punishment. That informed the RFU’s decision not to take any disciplinary action, although it insists that his revelations led to “a deeper look at the culture within the elite game and to the implementation of an action plan for the professional game.” It added: “The RFU has placed significant focus on inclusion and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his experiences of racism and classism,” it added. “We are continuing work with clubs and stakeholders in the professional game to strive for a culture of inclusivity but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process.” open image in gallery Burrell scored four tries during his England career (Getty Images) open image in gallery Three of those tries came during the 2014 Six Nations, where he helped England win the triple crown, although they missed out on the title to Ireland on points difference (Getty Images) Every top-flight men’s and women’s club in England now has face-to-face education on building inclusive cultures, with success monitored via reports and surveys, and Burrell is still working to improve things in the sport, with his 12 Foundation helping children in under-served communities on and off the pitch. “My intentions are pure, I want to see the evolution of the game and if nobody else is prepared to share their story then I’ll continue to fight that fight because I’m not just doing this for myself,” added Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in Huddersfield. “We have an obligation to make the sport as great as it can be
Northern Ireland v Germany: Centurion Michael O’Neill has been ‘great for the country’
Although O’Neill resigned in April 2020 to take charge of Stoke, his absence lasted only 28 internationals and he returned to the post in December 2022. The group to which he returned, however, was radically different to the one he left. Injury ended the international careers of Steven Davis and Dallas earlier than expected, while the retirements of Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart robbed the group of yet more experienced campaigners. Leading such a young group presented a different challenge to his first spell, but the impact of O’Neill’s previous time in charge still counted in his favour. “You saw the success that he had before and he’s a massive name back home,” said Liverpool’s Conor Bradley who has been given a leadership role in the team by O’Neill. “He’s a special manager. He gives you confidence going into games, and it’s a big part of management to be able to do that, but tactically as well he’s top notch.” Bingham gave O’Neill his international debut in February 1988 when he was still just 18-years-old and only four months after Newcastle United had signed him from Irish League side Coleraine. With his new-look Northern Ireland side built around young talents like Bradley, Isaac Price, Shea Charles and Justin Devenny, O’Neill feels the belief shown in him as a teenager has proven instructive to his approach to international management. “Billy put a lot of faith in me and maybe the fact that he put that faith in me has influenced me to put faith in young players as well,” he said. One such player is Isaac Price who was given his international debut as a 19-year-old who had played just 13 senior minutes for Everton. “He’s been perfect for me. He brought me in at a time he didn’t have to,” said Price, who later moved to Standard Liege and is now with West Brom. “I was playing under-23s football at Everton and he saw something in me he thought he could use and develop.” Price became the youngest player to score 10 times for Northern Ireland when he netted against Germany in the 3-1 defeat last month. The 22-year-old had missed a penalty against Luxembourg three days prior to scoring in Cologne and credits a brief exchange with O’Neill as vital in quickly moving on from his poor performance. “You’ve missed a penalty, didn’t play very well, and it’s a bit of a low point. You feel like everything’s coming down and then you’re going to play Germany,” he added. “The night before the game Michael comes over to me and just says ‘forget about what happened the other night, you’ll go out and do something’ and then it happens. “That’s his experience. Michael has been around football so long, he’d have seen it with so many players. He just managed me really well.”
Local coaches to gain exposure – FBC News
Koli Sewabu [Source: Fiji Rugby/Facebook] The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) will involve local coaches from unions across the country in national team training camps as part of preparations for upcoming international tournaments. According to Acting Chief Executive Officer Koli Sewabu, this initiative is part of the FRU’s new Coach Development Pathway, aimed at providing local coaches with exposure and experience at the international level. The program is expected to begin as early as this month, when the Fiji Warriors assemble for their next training camp. Article continues after advertisement “And as part of our new coaching development pathway, this is to bring them and expose them at this level. Hopefully they’ll learn and grow from there, and take away new ideas and new ways of doing things back to their provincial unions.” Through this initiative, local coaches will have the opportunity to work alongside national coaching staff and gain firsthand insight into high-performance preparation and standards. This collaboration is expected to help raise the standard of competition in domestic tournaments and contribute to the development of higher-quality players to represent Fiji on the international stage. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Seamus Coleman urges team-mates to handle pressure of playing for Ireland
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Seamus Coleman has told his Republic of Ireland team-mates to relish the “heavy jersey” they pull on when they get the chance to represent their country. The Everton defender spent his 37th birthday on Saturday helping to keep Cristiano Ronaldo and company largely at bay until Ruben Neves snatched an injury-time winner for Portugal in their World Cup qualifier in Lisbon. A committed team display at the Jose Alvalade Stadium ultimately went unrewarded as Ireland shook off some of the uncertainty which had prompted head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson to admit the pressure of international football might be getting to some of his players. However, the vastly-experienced Coleman said: “But is the jersey not supposed to be heavy? You are playing for Ireland. It’s pressure, but it is amazing pressure. “It is heavy at times, but that’s a good thing. There are only 11 players who can be picked to play for your country at any given time and you are expected to get performances. “And listen, I have been on the end of games like Luxembourg at home [an embarrassing 1-0 qualifier defeat in March 2021] and things like that and have taken the rap from you guys as well. “It is part and parcel of it and you just have to find a way to keep going. So the jersey might be heavy, but it is supposed to be heavy.” Coleman’s return to the Ireland team – he was unhappy to be left out of the squad last month despite his lack of club football at the time – coincided with a much-improved performance after the low point of a 2-1 defeat in Armenia. But the fact remains that three games into their Group F campaign, they have collected just a single point and simply must beat the Armenians in Dublin on Tuesday evening if they are to keep alive their dream of making it to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer. Coleman, a veteran of Ireland’s Euro 2016 finals adventure, said: “We have to maintain that standard, that’s ultimately it or the thing is completely dead and buried. “To give us any slight hope at all, we have to win on Tuesday night and we have to be on the front-foot and we have to create chances and get the Aviva behind us. “But they beat us out there, so we can’t take it for granted either. They are a good side.” Coleman played 86 minutes in Lisbon in what was just his fifth appearance of the season, and he admitted afterwards he has had more relaxing birthdays. He said: “You know what? There is tiredness, but I can put up with tiredness to play for my country. It’s the best feeling in the world.” Asked if there was another 90 minutes in his legs just three days later, he replied: “I hope so. We will see what the gaffer says, but I am feeling good at the minute.”
World Cup 2026: Which countries have qualified for the tournament?
Ghana are the 21st team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup – and at least six more of the 48 places will be decided this week. Asia and Africa are where all of the latest guaranteed spots will come from, with two from Asia and four more from Africa up for grabs. Ghana booked their spot thanks to a 1-0 win over Comoros with Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus claiming the only goal. Mohamed Salah scored twice on Wednesday as Egypt beat Djibouti 3-0 to seal their place at a fourth World Cup. Algeria joined them on Thursday with Riyad Mahrez scoring in a 3-0 Group G win over bottom side Somalia. While no countries in North and Central America or Europe are guaranteed to qualify this month, it is mathematically possible for some countries to do so. Four European nations could book their place this week – England, Portugal, Switzerland and France. Thomas Tuchel’s men will qualify with victory over Latvia on Tuesday, while the other three must rely on other results too. Croatia are all but there, sitting three points above the Czech Republic with a far superior goal difference. Joint-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States were all granted automatic qualification for the World Cup. Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan have already qualified from Asia. Oceania’s one direct qualification spot has been taken by New Zealand. Tunisia and Morocco were the first two African sides to go through, before three more joined them this week. Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia are the South American nations currently guaranteed a place. Uzbekistan and Jordan will also be playing at a World Cup finals for the first time. While they have not qualified for the tournament in full, Bolivia and New Caledonia are two of the six nations confirmed to take part in the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026. Teams through to 2026 World Cup Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States. Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan. Oceania: New Zealand. South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay. Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia.
Scotland ride luck against Belarus to take another step towards World Cup qualification
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Scotland escaped embarrassment as they notched an unconvincing 2-1 win over Group C makeweights Belarus to take another step towards the 2026 World Cup finals. On a night Steve Clarke took charge of the national side for a record-breaking 72nd time, striker Che Adams fired the home team ahead after 15 minutes to give the Scots the interval lead. Carlos Alos’s side had a goal disallowed in the second half for a foul on Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay in the build-up before the Napoli star struck in the 84th minute with a finish from 10 yards. open image in gallery Scott McTominay’s celebrations were muted as he scored Scotland’s second (Action Images via Reuters) Belarus substitute Hleb Kuchko reduced the deficit in the sixth minute of added time and in a qualification section that might come down to goal difference – Belarus lost by five to Greece and six to Denmark – the Tartan Army had hoped for more goals and a more fluid performance. Nevertheless, the Scots have 10 points from 12 as they prepare to travel to Greece and host Denmark next month to conclude the quick-fire qualification campaign. Clarke had to reshuffle his side due to the suspension of midfielders Ryan Christie and Lewis Ferguson while Aaron Hickey’s knee injury forced him out. The Scots showed five changes with defenders Anthony Ralston, Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna and midfielders Kenny McLean and Billy Gilmour coming in. However, Clarke’s men had an unconvincing start and Hampden held its breath when Belarus defender Pavel Zabelin headed just over the bar from a corner. open image in gallery Steve Clarke’s men got off to an unconvincing start (AFP via Getty Images) Scotland edged in front, however, when Adams took a Hendry pass into the box, turned neatly and drilled the ball low past Belarus keeper Fedor Lapoukhov and while the offside flag was immediately up, the VAR Ovidiu Hategan confirmed the Torino forward was onside and instructed Romanian referee Marian Barbu to award the goal. The expected Scotland surge did not materialise – Ben Gannon-Doak was getting joy down the right but his final pass was missing – but to end a well-worked move Adams knocked a pass from skipper Andy Robertson past the post under a challenge from Zabelin and a VAR check for a possible penalty brought no luck. McTominay had an early second-half effort saved by Lapoukhov and Gilmour drove over before fellow midfielder John McGinn had a fierce drive parried clear by the Belarus keeper. However, there was no dark blue onslaught. There was another long VAR check for a Scotland penalty when Belarus defender Yegor Parkhomenko tangled with Adams inside the Belarus box but referee Barbu checked his pitchside monitor, called over both captains, Robertson and Aleksandr Martynovich, to explain he was awarding the visitors a free-kick for an Adams handball. open image in gallery VAR thwarted Scotland before coming to their rescue up the other end (PA) Moments later, in a swift 65th-minute Belarus move, German Barkovsky crossed for Evgeni Malashevich to convert from eight yards and after again checking his monitor, Barbu chalked the goal off for an earlier foul on McTominay. Then Adams used his hand to knock in a Gannon-Doak cross and he may have been offside too. Scotland needed a second goal to relax as the match entered its final stages. The second goal came when McGinn battled to keep possession on the left-hand side of the box, before squaring for McTominay to sweep the ball into the corner of the net but there were plenty of nerves in the final moments after Kuchko drove in for the visitors deep in added time. PA