Japan became the first nation to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup through qualifiers, defeating Bahrain 2-0 in Saitama. Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo scored in the second half, allowing Japan to advance with three matches to spare in the third round of the Asian qualification campaign.

While Canada, Mexico, and the United States were already guaranteed places as host nations, Japan is the first team to qualify through the qualifiers. The Asian Football Confederation has eight guaranteed spots in the expanded 48-team tournament, with an additional spot available through inter-continental play-offs.

In the third round of qualification, 18 teams are divided into three groups, with the top two from each group securing World Cup spots. The third and fourth-place teams in each group progress to the fourth round to compete for the remaining places.

Managed by Hajime Moriyasu, Japan reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they were eliminated by Croatia in a penalty shootout. In the second round of the 2026 qualifiers, they won all six matches and remain unbeaten in the third round with six wins and one draw. Among Japan’s starters were Liverpool’s Wataru Endo, Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, and Takumi Minamino, who won the Premier League with Liverpool in 2020. This marks Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.

Australia, who defeated Indonesia 5-1, are nine points behind Japan in second place.

Vivienne Miedema was the standout performer as Manchester City triumphed 2-0 over Chelsea in the first leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League Quarter-Final tie. Miedema scored both of City’s goals, leading them to a well-deserved victory.

Manchester City were the more threatening side in the first half. Jill Roord had a powerful shot denied by the outstretched boot of Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who also made a crucial save later on, diving to block a strike from Lily Murphy on the edge of the box.

Chelsea had a few chances of their own. Catarina Macario narrowly missed with a diving header that flew over the bar, while Lauren James delivered a ball across the six-yard box that failed to find any of her teammates.

Early in the second half, Ayaka Yamashita was forced to get behind a long-range effort from James, but it was Manchester City who eventually broke the deadlock in the 60th minute.

Miedema, who had come on at half-time, made an immediate impact, volleying in at the far post after Hampton had managed to tip a header from Laia Aleixandri, following a cross from Mary Fowler, onto the bar.

Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez had a goal ruled out for offside in the final moments of her time on the pitch, moments before being substituted.

As the game neared its conclusion, Chelsea pressed for an equalizer, and with just 10 minutes left, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s effort struck the crossbar, followed by a rebound attempt from Maika Hamano that was saved by Manchester City’s goalkeeper, Yamashita. The City goalkeeper then kept her side in control by pushing away a powerful shot from Wieke Kaptein.

City sealed the win in the final moments of the match, doubling their lead in the 88th minute. Miedema was again the one to finish, receiving a perfect pass from Kerolin before slotting the ball into the net.

The second leg of this thrilling tie will take place at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, March 27, at 8 p.m.

Reigning champions Barcelona took a commanding lead in Wolfsburg, putting themselves firmly in control of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final tie. The visitors were clinical from the start, with Caitlin Dijkstra’s unfortunate own goal breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute. Shortly after, Barcelona extended their lead with a quickfire double from Irene Paredes and Salma Paralluelo, making it 3-0 by the 53rd minute.

Wolfsburg responded with a goal of their own, as Janina Minge pulled one back for the hosts, giving them a glimmer of hope. However, that hope was short-lived as substitute Sydney Schertenleib delivered a brilliant finish with just two minutes remaining, curling the ball into the net off the underside of the crossbar to restore Barcelona’s three-goal advantage.

The game began with Wolfsburg’s defense faltering in the 26th minute, when Caroline Graham Hansen played a perfectly timed pass through to Aitana Bonmati. Bonmati’s low delivery was then turned into an own goal by Dijkstra, giving Barcelona the lead. While Wolfsburg had moments of promise on the counter-attack, they were unable to match Barcelona’s sharp and fluid attacking play, which continued to dominate throughout the match.

After the break, Barcelona made sure the tie was well beyond doubt, scoring twice within the first eight minutes of the second half. Paredes found the net at the near post following a short corner, and Paralluelo fired a deflected shot from the edge of the box into the back of the net.

Wolfsburg managed to pull one back in the 79th minute when Minge headed in from their first corner, giving the hosts a glimmer of hope. However, it was Schertenleib who sealed the win for Barcelona, making it 4-1 with her excellent strike late in the game.

The result puts Wolfsburg, six-time finalists, in a difficult position heading into the second leg in Spain on Thursday, March 27th (17:45 GMT), where they will need a dramatic turnaround to advance.

The match wrapped up with a dominant 1-4 victory for Madagascar over the Central African Republic in the latest round of African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This impressive result is not only a resounding win on the day but also holds substantial significance for Madagascar’s World Cup qualification hopes. The victory provides a crucial boost to their standing in the group and reinforces their aspirations to secure a spot in the tournament. Given the competitive nature of the qualification process, this victory comes at a pivotal time for Madagascar, offering both momentum and confidence as they continue their journey toward qualifying for the prestigious global event.

Madagascar completely outplayed Central African Republic, who had no reaction in the second half.

And Madagascar was able to take advantage when it had the opportunity to come from behind, and from then on it dominated the game.

Cameroon were unexpectedly held to a draw by the underdog Eswatini in a surprising result as African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup resumed on Wednesday. The match, which saw the Indomitable Lions struggle to break down their opponents, saw Bryan Mbeumo come closest to opening the scoring. The Brentford forward struck the woodwork with a curling shot from distance during the first half, narrowly missing the opportunity to give Cameroon the lead.

Despite being ranked 159th in the world—110 places below the more highly-rated Cameroonians—Eswatini proved resilient throughout the match. In the second half, goalkeeper Mlamuli Makhanya was forced into action, producing a crucial save to tip a powerful header from Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar over the crossbar.

While Cameroon remain unbeaten after five matches, the draw has left them vulnerable to losing their position at the top of Group D. They could be overtaken before their upcoming home fixture against Libya next Tuesday.

Preston forward Milutin Osmajic has been charged by the FA after allegedly making racist remarks toward Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri during a Championship match last month.

The incident occurred during a goalless draw between the two sides on February 15, when Mejbri claimed he was subjected to “disgusting abuse” by Osmajic. Mejbri reported the matter to the match officials, while Osmajic vehemently denied the allegations.

Osmajic has now been charged with breaching FA Rule E3, which addresses instances of players acting in an improper manner or using abusive and/or insulting language toward an opposing player.

In its statement, the FA also indicated that the charge includes an “aggravated breach” under FA Rule E3.2, which applies when the abuse includes a reference—either direct or implied—to a player’s colour and/or race.

Osmajic has been given until Tuesday, March 25, to respond to the charges. The statement did not specify the potential consequences or punishment he would face should he accept the charges.

Arne Slot dismissed the notion that Liverpool’s defeat in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle was due to fatigue, stating that it had “nothing to do with running” during his post-match press conference. Instead, he pointed to his team’s inability to win enough duels as the main factor in their loss.

However, it is precisely in these physical battles where the effects of fatigue have been most evident. Over the past two weeks, Liverpool has posted three of their five lowest duel success rates of the entire season. The issue was most noticeable in their away match against Paris Saint-Germain, where Liverpool won only 32.5 percent of duels—a record low in their history in the Champions League.

In the second leg at Anfield and in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley, their duel success rate was 42.7 percent, significantly below their season average of over 50 percent in the first half of the campaign. This decline can be traced back even further in the Premier League. Prior to the new year, Liverpool had won more than 50 percent of their duels in nine out of 18 matches. Since then, they’ve only managed to do so in two out of 11 games. While Slot may not acknowledge it, there’s little doubt that his side has lost some of their previously sharp physical edge.

Barcelona staged an unforgettable comeback to defeat Atletico Madrid 4-2 in a dramatic top-of-the-table clash in the Spanish capital on Sunday. The hosts seemed to be in control for much of the match, having built a commanding 2-0 lead. Atletico’s early dominance and clinical finishing suggested that they were on course to secure all three points, but Barcelona had other plans.

Despite the setback, Barcelona refused to give up and produced a thrilling second-half performance. The comeback began with Robert Lewandowski, who found the net to reduce the deficit, bringing a renewed sense of hope to the visitors. Just minutes later, Ferran Torres struck, leveling the score and breathing life into Barcelona’s efforts.

But the most sensational moment came when the young Lamine Yamal, showcasing his immense potential, scored the decisive goal to put Barcelona ahead. As if that wasn’t enough, Torres later sealed the win with another goal, completing a remarkable turnaround that left Atletico stunned.

Hansi Flick’s side had initially looked on the back foot but showed incredible resilience, showing their character and determination to come back from the brink. Barcelona’s thrilling victory not only handed them three crucial points but also sent a strong message in their title chase. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, were left to reflect on a match that they had seemed to have under control but ultimately slipped away from them in the most dramatic fashion.

Atalanta’s poor record against Inter continued as they suffered their eighth consecutive loss, with no victory over them since November 2018.

Marcus Thuram almost scored early, his shot beating goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi but hitting the far post. A six-minute break followed the restart due to a medical emergency in the stands, and when play resumed, Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner found Carlos Augusto, who scored with a free header from six yards.

Mario Pasalic’s header from a Marten de Roon cross was tipped over by Yann Sommer, while Ederson and Ademola Lookman missed chances. Lookman had a chance after nutmegging Benjamin Pavard but sent it wide. Calhanoglu’s shot was saved by Carnesecchi, and Denzel Dumfries limped off with a muscular injury.

Lautaro Martinez thought he had scored on 71 minutes, but a push on Berat Djimsiti led to a whistle before his goal. Francesco Acerbi made a crucial tackle, while Ederson was sent off for sarcastically applauding the referee after receiving a second yellow for dissent.

Yann Bisseck missed a chance to double the lead, but Lautaro Martinez eventually did, scoring with a powerful strike from a Nicolò Barella assist that bent back Carnesecchi’s gloves. Gasperini was also sent off for dissent, and Carnesecchi made a crucial save to deny Davide Frattesi a third.

There were 11 minutes of added time, mainly for the medical emergency, during which Inter also went down to 10 men due to a second yellow for Bastoni. Davide Zappacosta blasted over from a difficult angle after some skillful footwork.