Manchester’s Dakota Ditcheva became the first British woman to secure an MMA world title, stopping Taila Santos in the second round to claim the PFL flyweight crown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 26-year-old delivered a clinical performance, ending the bout with a series of devastating body shots to remain unbeaten in 14 professional fights, with 13 finishes. The victory also earned her a $1m (£785,000) prize. “I just beat the…

Leicester City’s interim manager, Ben Dawson, has confirmed that the club has addressed players’ “unacceptable” behavior during a recent Christmas party in Copenhagen. The incident came to light just days after the Foxes’ 2-1 defeat to Chelsea and the subsequent sacking of manager Steve Cooper. Videos circulating online, though unverified by BBC Sport, allegedly show players celebrating in a nightclub alongside a sign reading, “Enzo, I miss you,” referencing former…

FIFA has formally evaluated Saudi Arabia’s unopposed bid to host the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup, with the Gulf nation receiving an unprecedented score of 4.2 out of 5, the highest in the governing body’s history. While FIFA’s report lauds Saudi Arabia’s potential to use the tournament as a “catalyst for reforms,” critics have slammed the decision, highlighting the kingdom’s contentious human rights record and environmental concerns. A Platform for…

Van Nistelrooy, newly appointed as Leicester’s manager, watched from the directors’ box as his side’s defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed. Leicester started brightly, taking the lead in the 22nd minute through Facundo Buonanotte, who finished a Jamie Vardy assist after capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Ethan Pinnock. However, the Foxes’ joy was short-lived. Just three minutes later, Brentford equalized when Schade set up Yoane Wissa to tap in unmarked.…

FIFA’s evaluation report on Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup has highlighted significant concerns over human rights, classifying the potential risks as “medium” while acknowledging the country’s commitment to various reforms. The report, released on 30th November, is set against the backdrop of FIFA’s upcoming Congress on 11th December, where delegates will vote to determine the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. Saudi Arabia is…

Following the departure, in February 2024, of Portuguese tactician, José Peseiro, who guided the team to a runner-up finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the head coach position for Nigeria’s Super Eagles has remained uncertain. Despite his success, Peseiro chose not to renew his contract with the three-time African champions. After his departure, a former winger for the national team, Finidi George briefly held interim duties but…

Leicester City officially announced Ruud van Nistelrooy as their new manager on Friday, marking a swift transition following his recent exit from Manchester United. The Dutch tactician parted ways with United earlier this month after a brief tenure as interim manager and a prior stint as Erik ten Hag’s assistant. His move to Leicester comes on the heels of Steve Cooper’s dismissal on Sunday, following a poor run of form…

Enzo Maresca does not believe his Chelsea side are in the Premier League title race despite an impressive start to the season in his first campaign at Stamford Bridge. Victory over Aston Villa on Sunday would be a seventh in 13 league games under the Italian, who was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino’s successor in June. Ahead of the weekend action, Chelsea were third in the table, level on 22 points…

Simona Halep, the two-time Grand Slam champion, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the handling of doping cases in tennis, following Iga Swiatek’s recent one-month suspension. The controversy centers around the differing treatment of doping violations by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which Halep believes unfairly targets her while offering more lenient treatment to others. On Thursday, the ITIA announced that Swiatek, the world number two, had tested positive for…

England’s Lucy Bronze, Lauren Hemp and Keira Walsh are among the nominees for the women’s player of the year at the 2024 Fifa Best Awards. Lioness Mary Earps, who has won the women’s goalkeeper of the year in the past two editions, is shortlisted again. England and Arsenal winger Beth Mead is nominated for the inaugural Marta Award, which has been introduced to honour the best goal in women’s football.…

Lando Norris has hit back at Max Verstappen’s recent comments, suggesting the Red Bull driver “should start doing comedy” after Verstappen claimed he could have won the 2024 Formula 1 world title driving for McLaren. Verstappen, who secured his fourth world championship at last weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, made headlines by suggesting that the McLaren car was faster for much of the season and that he would have wrapped…

Frank Lampard’s return to management with Coventry City marks a pivotal moment in his career after a series of mixed fortunes. Following an unsuccessful second spell at Chelsea, which ended in January 2021, Lampard now takes charge of Coventry with high expectations to rebuild his reputation. Lampard replaces the beloved Mark Robins, whose near-miss in the 2023 play-off final and FA Cup heroics left a strong legacy. Coventry’s current position…