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West Ham suffer Premier League relegation despite final day win over Leeds
Football
Mon May 25, 2026 · 1d ago

Tom Carnduff
Image of the letter X with a black colouring.@TomCarnduff
Tom is a football journalist who is also key to our social media and AV content, and host of Sporting Life's This Week's Acca podcast. He produces regular football tips including a Friday Bundesliga column.
West Ham suffered relegation to the Sky Bet Championship on the Premier League's final day despite a 3-0 victory over Leeds.

Tottenham's 1-0 win against Everton ensured their survival at the expense of the Hammers, who will play in England's second tier for the first time since 2012.

João Palhinha's strike late in the first-half was enough for the crucial three points. Spurs knew that a draw would be enough given their vastly superior goal difference in the Premier League table.

Jarrod Bowen, Valentín Castellanos and Callum Wilson were all on the scoresheet as West Ham made the most of Leeds' own situation in which they had nothing to play for.


But they knew they'd need a favour from the Toffees which never arrived - with the timing of the Spurs goal meaning West Ham's survival never felt likely.

Having shown signs of life under Nuno Espírito Santo's guidance, three consecutive defeats leading into final day perhaps should have secured their fate at a much earlier stage.

For Spurs, it's a scare they'll want to ensure never happens again.

The Europa League holders were dragged into an unlikely relegation battle after Thomas Frank took over from Ange Postecoglou, with Igor Tudor also proving to be a poor appointment on an interim basis.

Roberto De Zerbi retained their top-flight status and will be hoping that they can return to the European battle next season.

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International Friendly tips: England vs New Zealand predictions, best bets and preview
Football
Sat June 06, 2026 · 44 min ago

Jimmy 'The Punt' Cantrill
Jimmy is a football journalist specialising in tipping, including the lower leagues. With a clear preference for trixies and big prices, he provides expert insight in his weekly column, Jimmy's Punt.
Football betting tips: International Friendly
2.5pts England to win and under 3.5 goals at 10/11 (General)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power |


Kick-off: 21:00 BST, Saturday
TV: ITV1
Live odds, form and stats
England’s penultimate game before the 2026 World Cup sees them play New Zealand at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, before they take on Costa Rica on Wednesday in their final fixture.

This clash with the All Whites kicks-off at 4pm local time - 9pm in the UK - and it will give us valuable insight into how the Three Lions are going to fare in the Sunshine State heat.

If England top Group L at the finals, they’ll play their round-of-32 clash in Atlanta, round-of-16 game in Mexico City, Miami for the quarters, back to Atlanta for the semis before returning to Miami for the third place play-off. Sorry, I mean the final in New York.

Presuming England top the group that is, and go on to win all of their knockout games, but the point is it’ll be hot in the majority of those knock-out Stadia.

So, getting acclimatised to the heat seems a sensible move from Thomas Tuchel ahead of the tournament and it is expected to be around 34 degrees when Saturday’s game kicks-off.

Thomas Tuchel
This will be the first look at the national team since a disappointing couple of friendlies in March.

A heavily rotated Three Lions side drew 1-1 with a heavily rotated Uruguay side, conceding a 94th minute penalty. Then, a slightly stronger eleven lost 1-0 to Japan.

As with any friendly, not much stock can be put into those results.

Harry Kane didn’t feature at all and Jude Bellingham didn’t start either game. James Trafford and James Garner were handed their first senior caps and Phil Foden and Cole Palmer featured in both games but neither are in the World Cup squad.

How much experimenting Tuchel does in terms of team selection for this clash remains to be seen but his XI is expected to be comparatively stronger for Saturday's match then those March line-ups.

The Three Lions have a clean bill of health but will be without Arsenal quartet Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke following their involvement in the Champions League final.

ENGLAND breezed through qualification without conceding a goal in eight games and six of those matches saw the Three Lions WIN AND UNDER 3.5 GOALS click.

At 10/11, it is an angle which appeals here.

England
New Zealand will be the lowest ranked nation competing at the World Cup according to FIFA’s rankings (85th). And they only have a pool of around 60 professional players to pick from.

Much of their hopes for the summer hinge on record appearance maker and top goalscorer Chris Wood.

Although the Nottingham Forest forward is expected to start on Saturday, he has only started 14 Premier League games and one international qualifier this term.

The All Whites' confidence ahead of the finals was knocked in the 4-0 defeat to Haiti in Florida on Wednesday. Haiti are ranked 81st in the world.

At 1/10 generally in the 1x2, there’s a chance England rack up a similar scoreline but ultimately I think the heat is going to have a huge impact on the tempo of the game.

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Free World Cup betting guide: Tips, predictions and best bets for every team plus outrights
Football
Sun June 07, 2026 · 3h ago

Sporting Life Football
Our all new World Cup 2026 betting guide - packed with tips, stats and analysis - is now available for FREE. Click the links below to read each of the 12 group previews, four outright articles and to download our free wall chart and sweepstake kit.

Group previews
Group A: Mexico; South Africa; South Korea; Czechia
Group B: Canada; Bosnia; Qatar; Switzerland
Group C: Brazil; Morocco; Haiti; Scotland
Group D: USA; Paraguay; Australia; Turkiye
Group E: Germany; Curacao; Ivory Coast; Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands; Japan; Sweden; Tunisia
Group G: Belgium; Egypt; Iran; New Zealand
Group H: Spain; Cape Verde; Saudi Arabia; Uruguay
Group I: France; Senegal; Iraq; Norway
Group J: Argentina; Algeria; Austria; Jordan
Group K: Portugal; DR Congo; Uzbekistan; Colombia
Group L: England; Croatia; Ghana; Panama
Outright previews
World Cup outright
Golden Boot
Golden Ball
Special bets
The biggest World Cup in history sees 48 teams go for glory in Mexico, Canada and the USA, with the action getting under way in Mexico City when co-hosts Mexico face South Africa on June 11. The final takes place at the New York-New Jersey Stadium more than a month later on July 19.

An increase from 32 to 48 teams means there are 12 rather than eight groups, and an extra round of 32 in the schedule.

In our most comprehensive betting guide yet we assess every team in every group before reaching a verdict. Outrights, the Golden Boot, Player of the Tournament and Special markets all covered too, with more than 50 BEST BETS advised in total.

More World Cup content from Sporting Life
FREE World Cup wallchart
FREE World Cup sweepstake kit
Fixtures, results and live scores
World Cup 2026: All you need to know
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.

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Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina predictions, tips, best bets and World Cup preview
Football
Fri June 12, 2026 · 4 min ago

Tom Carnduff
Image of the letter X with a black colouring.@TomCarnduff
Tom is a football journalist who is also key to our social media and AV content, and host of Sporting Life's This Week's Acca podcast. He produces regular football tips including a Friday Bundesliga column.
Football betting tips: World Cup
1.5pts Over 4.5 Bosnia and Herzegovina shots on target at 11/4 (bet365, BetVictor)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair


Kick-off: 20:00 BST, Friday
TV: BBC One
Live odds, form and stats
For all the headline-grabbing of this tournament by the United States - most of it falling short of the requirements to be filed as a 'positive' - you'd be forgiven for forgetting that Canada is also a co-host.

That should change in the hours leading up to kick-off in Toronto on Friday night. It's only right they get their time in the global spotlight.

This could be one of just two occasions where a home Canadian crowd may well see a win at the tournament though. The second contest against Qatar in Vancouver puts them against arguably the worst team of the 48 while Switzerland should top Group B.

It's not that straightforward though. Bosnia and Herzegovina have proven to be an awkward side to play against and dumped Italy out of the play-offs to secure their place in North America.

WATCH: RANKING THE WORLD CUP HOME SHIRTS!

Ranking ALL 48 World Cup Home Kits! England, Brazil, Argentina, USA & More
They're a tricky team to get the better of. A direct approach coupled with a physical presence should be enough to see them progress to the knockout stages - picking up something here would set them well on their way.

That's because all three teams should beat Qatar and four points should be more than enough to secure a place as one of the eight best third-placed sides at least.

And tournament hosts don't always win their first game, especially if they're not a leading side on the international stage. Qatar were beaten by Ecuador in 2022 while South Africa were held by Mexico in 2010. Russia may have put in a five-star performance in 2018 but they were facing Saudi Arabia.

I'm also not completely convinced on how suited high intensity football is in tournaments. Jesse Marsch's side haven't totally inspired in some of their previous friendlies, finishing third in the 2025 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League and being beaten semi-finalists in the 2024 Copa America.

Group B preview
CLICK THE IMAGE to read our full Group B preview
I wouldn't be surprised if they took an early lead though given the home crowd and the occasion. That's one of a few reasons why I'm interested in the 11/4 on OVER 4.5 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA SHOTS ON TARGET.

The game state may well dictate that they need to attack more as they aim to find a way back into it but even if it doesn't, they've demonstrated their attacking intent on more than one occasion.

Sergej Barbarez's men ranked 14th of 54 in European qualifying for average shots per game, while their 5.3 on target put them 19th in this category.

In the play-offs, they had a huge ten over 90 minutes against Italy with four against Wales. It's tricky to focus too much on Canada's opponents' showings in what were non-competitive contests.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's style could cause some issues for other teams
High turnovers are likely to be a feature for both sides and there may be an occasion or two where a centre-back is caught out in possession. One of those in Bosnia's favour presents a shooting opportunity in a great position.

I'd also expect them to have the better of the aerial battle between the two sides, particularly if they can win set-pieces and corners to try and capitalise on it.

Ultimately, this is a tournament like no other and we'll see a few surprise results. Unless one of these two sides runs away with it on the scoreline, it's unlikely to fall into that category.

And in a game I just can't call, I'll side with the away side having their chances on goal.

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Jake Osgathorpe's 2026 World Cup tips and predictions: Group stage round two
Football
Fri June 19, 2026 · 1h ago

Jake Osgathorpe
Image of the letter X with a black colouring.@JAKEOZZ
Jake is our deputy football editor, involved in the planning and delivery of content across our business. His own column, Jake's Predictions, is a profitable, weekly look at every round of Premier League fixtures.
Jake's World Cup 2026 Predictions: Staked 37pts | Returned 41.75pts | P/L +4.75pts | ROI 13%

Football betting tips: World Cup
USA vs Australia - Friday 20:00

2pts USA 15+ total shots at evens (BetVictor, BOYLESports)

Scotland vs Morocco - Friday 23:00

1pt Andy Robertson to commit 2+ fouls at 13/5 (BetVictor)

Brazil vs Haiti - Saturday 01:30

1pt Carlens Arcus to be carded at 10/3 (bet365)

Türkiye vs Paraguay - Saturday 05:00

1pt A sending off in the match at 9/2 (William Hill)

0.25pt Both teams red card at 60/1 (William Hill)

Netherlands vs Sweden - Saturday 18:00

2pts Both teams to score at 10/11 (Betfred)

0.75pts Alexander Isak to score anytime at 5/2 (Sky Bet)

0.75pts Viktor Gyökeres to score anytime at 5/2 (Sky Bet)

Germany vs Côte d'Ivoire - Saturday 21:00

2.5pts Germany to commit 12+ fouls at 11/10 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)

1pts Germany to commit 14+ fouls at 11/4 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

0.5pts Germany to commit 16+ fouls at 13/2 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

Ecuador vs Curaçao - Sunday 01:00

2pts Joel Ordóñez 1+ total shot at 20/23 (BOYLESports)

0.5pts Joel Ordóñez 2+ total shot at 17/4 (Coral, Ladbrokes)

Spain vs Saudi Arabia - Sunday 17:00

1.5pts Lamine Yamal 1+ assist at 19/10 (BetVictor)

0.5pt Lamine Yamal 2+ assists at 14/1 (BetVictor)

Belgium vs Iran - Sunday 20:00

0.75pt Ramin Rezaeian to be carded at 4/1 (bet365)

0.75pt Milad Mohammadi to be carded at 9/2 (Sky Bet)

Uruguay vs Cape Verde - Sunday 23:00

1pt Maxi Araujo 3+ shots created at 23/10 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

0.25pts Maxi Araujo 5+ shots created at 16/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

*tips to be added throughout the round of fixtures

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

USA vs Australia
BBC One - Friday, 20:00 BST
Venue: Seattle Stadium, Seattle
Live odds, form and stats
The Group D openers were very much a case of nailing one game and failing on the other. The USA certainly looked impressive as they dismantled Paraguay and secured us some nice profit, while Australia did what they usually do at World Cup's and cause upsets, they beat Türkiye when we were on the Europeans.

It was a vintage contain and counter approach from the Socceroos that saw them concede the most shots (30) of any team in the opening round of group games, and have the second lowest possession (28.4%). Interestingly the four sides bottom of the possession standings in the first games all avoided defeat, though the Aussies were the only ones to win.

The USA sat fifth for most possession, but they did a lot with the ball and they did it at speed, going through the gears against a poor Paraguay side, and to be fair to Mauricio Pochettino's men, that display was arguably the best we've seen so far. The bookies make them 8/13 to win this second game.

poch
That price is fair enough, but I think there is huge value in backing USA 15+ TOTAL SHOTS here at even money. Poch's men fired 16 in their opener and in their most recent two friendlies against Senegal and Germany, while across their last 11 internationals have averaged 13.5 shots per game.

Their tails will be up after the opening win, and as hosts are unlikely to take their foot off the gas should they get ahead, especially playing in Seattle which is one of the most loudest and most raucous stadia in America. Australia faced 30 shots as they sat back against Türkiye, and a similar approach is expected here, with the beauty about this bet that any game state is in our favour.

Should the USA go in front they'll keep peppering Australia's goal and the Aussies will have to open it to try and equalise, while if the Socceroos go in front then they'll retreat even further to frustrate the US who will get into plenty of shooting positions.

Score prediction: USA 3-1 Australia (Sky Bet odds: 12/1)

Odds correct at 16:25 BST (17/06/26)

Scotland vs Morocco
ITV1 - Friday, 23:00 BST
Venue: Boston Stadium, Foxborough
Live odds, form and stats
Scotland scraped past Haiti in an unimpressive performance, but three points was all that mattered ahead of games against Morocco and Brazil - who shared the spoils in their opener. A win for the Scots would all-but guarantee progression, but the Moroccans looked extremely sharp against the group favourites.

It will be hot in Foxborough, 27 degrees, which is unlikely to suit Scotland and their low-block approach here, and it could well turn this game into another niggly, foul-heavy contest, just like against Haiti. That game saw a combined 44 fouls.

Looking at the match-ups, the price that caught the eye was the 13/5 about ANDY ROBERTSON TO COMMIT 2+ FOULS.

The Scotland captain made two fouls against Haiti, but will be up against Morocco's extremely talented right hand side who just so happen to be excellent foul drawers.

Brahim Díaz and Achraf Hakimi are the main creators for Morocco, and both are rapid as well as being technically sound. They were fouled three and five times respectively against Brazil, with the pair responsible for over half of Morocco's fouls won, and are likely to cause Robertson plenty off issues in a game that should see wave after wave of Morocco pressure.