12:10 PM ET Cristiano Ronaldo‘s first appearance in Saudi Arabia against a Paris Saint-Germain team containing Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar led to over 2 million online requests for tickets, sources have told ESPN. Former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Ronaldo signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Riyadh-based Al Nassr FC worth $75 million-a-year
Football
5:33 PM ET Foley, an NHL team owner who recently acquired Bournemouth, is one of many U.S. investors in the Premier League. Could they end up flexing their collective muscle to make English soccer’s top division look more like sports back home? Warren Little/Getty Images With Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley acquiring AFC Bournemouth last
5:30 PM ET Graham Potter has described managing Chelsea as “the hardest job in football.” Chelsea travel to Fulham on Thursday night seeking to improve on a disappointing run of six defeats in nine games, which has seen them drop to 10th place in the Premier League table. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more
5:31 PM ET Manchester United will take on Nottingham Forest in the two-legged Carabao Cup semifinals, with Manchester City‘s conquerors Southampton facing Newcastle United in the other tie from Wednesday’s draw. Man United eased past League One Charlton 3-0 in the quarterfinals as they seek a first trophy since 2017. Forest will host the first
4:52 PM ET Lionel Messi scored in his return for Paris Saint-Germain after his triumphant World Cup winning campaign with Argentina in a 2-0 Ligue 1 win over Angers at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. Messi had taken an extended leave from the team after helping Argentina beat France in the final in Qatar
6:25 PM ET Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave a scathing assessment of his side’s performance after they exited the League Cup in a dismal 2-0 defeat to Southampton on Wednesday. The competition has long been a domain dominated by City, who have won the Cup on six occasions since 2014, but for the second
5:03 PM ET Thibaut Courtois saved Jose Gaya‘s poorly-struck spot kick to give Real Madrid a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Valencia after the teams had finished level at 1-1 after extra time in their Spanish Super Cup semifinal in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Karim Benzema gave holders Real Madrid the lead from the spot
2:23 PM ET OL Reign has re-signed captain and U.S. women’s national team icon Megan Rapinoe through the 2023 NWSL season. The deal was announced Wednesday, the 10th anniversary of her joining the club as an original member in 2013. Financial terms were not disclosed. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “I’m back,
1:45 PM ET The “rent boy” chant will be considered a breach of the Football Association’s rules, it said on Wednesday in a statement condemning all offensive, abusive and discriminatory chanting in football stadiums. The FA said those chants can have a “lasting and damaging impact” on people and communities within the game and must
6:29 AM ET Adriana Garcia Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has said he believes Lionel Messi can play at the 2026 World Cup. Messi, 35, led Argentina to glory in Qatar last month and repeatedly said throughout the tournament that it was going to be his last World Cup. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more