Brighton and Manchester United
16 September 2026

Brighton came from two goals down to beat Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford and eliminate them from the Carabao Cup. United had not lost a home match after leading by two goals since a defeat 50 years earlier.

Shea Lacey and Mason Mount put United 2-0 ahead inside 10 minutes before Charalampos Kostoulas reduced the deficit. Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper then completed Brighton’s second-half comeback, leaving Michael Carrick’s side with three defeats from six matches this season.

Brazil and the United States
16 September 2026

Brazil eliminated the United States from the U20 Women’s World Cup in the round of 16, winning 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time. The result extends the Americans’ wait for another title beyond their 2012 triumph.

Sofia headed Brazil ahead in the 59th minute before Ainsley McCammon equalised four minutes later. The United States created more chances but could not find a winner, and Emeri Adames had the opening shootout penalty saved before the remaining nine kicks were converted.

Sunderland, AZ Alkmaar and Enzo Le Fee
16 September 2026

Sunderland beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in their Europa League opener, securing their first victory in European competition for 53 years. Enzo Le Fee scored the decisive penalty in Sunderland’s first European campaign since 1973.

Le Fee converted in the 66th minute after Weslley Patati brought him down following a Sunderland counterattack. AZ pushed for an equaliser late on, but goalkeeper Robin Roefs made key saves as Regis Le Bris’ side protected the historic lead.

Benfica and AC Milan
16 September 2026

Benfica beat AC Milan 2-0 at San Siro in their Europa League opener, recording their first victory over the Italian club in seven meetings. Dodi Lukebakio and Jakub Kaminski scored as Milan suffered their first defeat of the season.

Lukebakio put Benfica ahead in the first half before Kaminski doubled the advantage after the break from Souffian El Karouani’s pass. Benfica had rotated nine starters ahead of a domestic clash with Porto but still controlled the match and limited Milan’s chances.

Fleetwood Town, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea
16 September 2026

Fleetwood Town will host Premier League champions Arsenal in the Carabao Cup fourth round after reaching that stage for the first time. Liverpool were drawn at home to Chelsea, while Bradford and Peterborough will meet for a quarter-final place.

Fleetwood advanced by beating Sheffield United 1-0, while Arsenal defeated Ipswich 4-2. The fourth-round ties will be played in the week beginning October 26, with Manchester City or Norwich also set to host Brighton depending on Thursday’s remaining tie.

Al Ain, Al Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo
15 September 2026

Al Ain thrashed Al Nassr 4-0 in the AFC Champions League Elite, handing Cristiano Ronaldo his heaviest defeat since joining the Saudi club. Houssine Rahimi scored twice before Soufiane Rahimi and Georgios Giakoumakis completed the opening-round rout.

Al Nassr fell behind after 25 minutes and never recovered, while Ronaldo had a late free-kick saved by Khalid Eisa. Coach Ange Postecoglou accepted responsibility after the defeat, which left his side with one win from their last four matches.

Serie A, Inter and Lazio
15 September 2026

The 2026 Italian Super Cup will revert to a one-match final after Serie A and Saudi Arabia agreed not to stage this edition there. Inter and Lazio are already qualified, with the match scheduled for December 22 or 23.

No overseas venue has been confirmed despite interest from Morocco and the United States, leaving San Siro as the leading fallback option. The one-game format also means lower club earnings than recent four-team editions in Saudi Arabia, which offered larger prize pools.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur
15 September 2026

Liverpool beat Tottenham 3-1 at Anfield to advance to the Carabao Cup fourth round. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring, Cody Gakpo doubled the lead after half-time and Dominik Szoboszlai sealed the result with a stoppage-time strike.

Conor Gallagher headed Tottenham back into the tie in the 69th minute, but Spurs could not find an equaliser despite increased pressure. Liverpool made extensive changes yet controlled decisive moments, while Tottenham’s finishing problems continued despite creating several opportunities.

UEFA, Munich, Barcelona, Cardiff and other host cities
15 September 2026

UEFA confirmed Munich will host the 2028 men’s Champions League final and Barcelona’s Camp Nou the 2029 edition. Cardiff will stage the 2029 Women’s Champions League final, with Lyon hosting in 2028 and further Europa League and Conference League venues also assigned.

Bucharest and Belgrade were chosen for the 2028 and 2029 Europa League finals, while Turin and Budapest will stage the corresponding Conference League showpieces. Amsterdam will host the 2027 UEFA Super Cup, followed by Astana in 2028.

UEFA and Nations League teams
15 September 2026

UEFA changed the 2026-27 Nations League promotion and relegation system ahead of the competition’s larger 2028-29 format. Only the two worst fourth-placed League A teams will now be relegated automatically, while the two best third-placed sides stay up.

The two worst third-placed teams and two best fourth-placed teams in League A will enter play-offs against League B runners-up. UEFA approved the adjustment to ease the transition toward three leagues of 18 teams from the 2028-29 edition.