Tuesday, 8 September 2026
ARSENAL HAVE BEEN NOMINATED 2026 MEN'S CLUB OF THE YEAR | BALLON D’OR 2026
Nominated for the 2026 Men's Club of the Year
#Arsenal #ballondor #thegunners
NEW YORK YANKEE'S' AARON BOONE MAKES AARON JUDGE STATEMENT BEFORE ROOKIES GAMES
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| Getty |
The New York Yankees finally activated star outfielder Aaron Judge from the injured list ahead of Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium.
Judge had been on the injured list since early June due to a right rib stress fracture. He returned from the IL without going on a rehab assignment.
Before Tuesday’s game against the Rockies, Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on Judge’s return from the IL.
New York Yankees’ Aaron Boone Makes Aaron Judge Statement Before Rockies Game
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| CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 28: Aaron Judge #99 and manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees look on against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 28, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) |
Via Talkin’ Yanks on X: Aaron Boone says Yankees fans should expect Aaron Judge to be eased back in and be subbed out early in some games before playing a full nine innings.
Since Judge didn’t go on a rehab assignment, it appears he will be essentially rehabbing with the big-league team.
It makes sense why the Yankees prefer to have Judge back as soon as possible, even if it means he can’t play all nine innings right away.
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| ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 01: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the bench during the third inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 01, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) |
As it stands, New York has just a two-game lead over Boston for the top American League Wild Card spot. Assuming the top two Wild Card teams end up being the Yankees and Red Sox, the top seed between the two AL East rivals will host the other in a best-of-three Wild Card series in the postseason.
Also, the Yankees are just four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the American League East. While New York most likely won’t overtake that first-place spot, a strong finish to the season could lead to the Yankees reclaiming the division lead.
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| NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 29: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox in game two of the doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on August 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) |
Essentially, the Yankees need all the help they can get over the final month of the season. Even if Judge cannot play full games right away, having his bat in the lineup could lead to several more wins for the Yankees, which could prove vital at the end of the season.
Before landing on the injured list, Judge slashed .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and 38 RBI over 59 games this season.
New York Yankees Right Now
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| SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 06: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees celebrates scoring with Jasson Dominguez in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) |
The Yankees have won six of their last 20 games. They are coming off a 2-1 series loss to the San Diego Padres.
Game 1 of the series between New York and Colorado is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. EDT on Tuesday.
- Jackson Kruse
2026 BALLON D'OR FULL LIST OF NOMINEES REVEALED AS HARRY KANE EMERGES AS FAVOURITE
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| Getty |
The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced, setting up a race that includes some of soccer’s biggest stars and gives voters plenty to consider after a World Cup year.
Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Rodri are among the players competing for the award alongside reigning winner Ousmane Dembélé.
This year’s voting carries an added wrinkle because performances at the 2026 World Cup fall within the eligibility period. That has reshaped the race after the summer tournament, with Kane sitting atop the odds while Yamal has gained ground after helping Spain win the World Cup.
The winner will be revealed on Oct. 26 in London.
Harry Kane Leads 2026 Ballon d’Or Odds After Huge Season
Kane enters the race as the clear betting favorite, with his odds giving him a 67% implied probability of winning his first Ballon d’Or, according to Covers.com.
The Bayern Munich striker has both individual numbers and team accomplishments working in his favor.
Kane scored 50 goals across all competitions while helping Bayern capture a domestic double, ending his long wait for major team silverware. He also helped England make a deep run at the World Cup.
Those accomplishments have put Kane in a commanding position ahead of the vote, but he is not running unopposed.
Yamal has experienced one of the biggest swings in the market after playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup victory.
The Barcelona star previously climbed 22 percentage points to a 26% implied probability before settling at 17%. His performance on soccer’s biggest international stage has helped turn him into one of Kane’s most prominent challengers.
Rodri, Yamal’s Spain teammate, is also in contention at 6%. The Manchester City midfielder helped anchor Spain during its championship run and has gained support despite playing a position that does not typically produce the eye-catching scoring numbers of the award’s attacking contenders.
Kylian Mbappé Loses Ground Despite 42-Goal Season
Mbappé remains one of the biggest names in the Ballon d’Or field, but his odds fell after the World Cup.
The Real Madrid star dropped 18 percentage points to approximately 14% following the tournament.
Mbappé scored 42 goals for Real Madrid last season, but the club did not win a trophy and exited the Champions League early. France also missed the World Cup final before losing a 6-4 match against England for third place.
Despite those results, Mbappé recently made it clear that he believes his individual season belongs in the Ballon d’Or conversation.
He said it would be a “good year for him” to capture the award.
Lionel Messi is further down the market at 3% despite his team reaching another World Cup final.
Ballon d’Or Winner Will Be Decided by International Journalists
France Football and UEFA will co-organize the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Oct. 26.
A jury of international journalists representing the top 100 countries in the latest FIFA rankings selects the men’s winner. Each voter selects a top 10, with players receiving between 15 and one point based on their placement.
Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d’Or with 1,380 points, accounting for 92% of the total points available.
The 2026 ceremony will also recognize the top young player, goalkeeper and club.
Yamal is among the 10 nominees for Men’s Young Talent of the Year, joining Pau Cubarsi, Lennart Karl, Warren Zaire-Emery and others.
The Yashin Trophy field for goalkeeper of the year Thibaut Courtois, David Raya, Unai Simón, Yassine Bonou and Emiliano Martínez.
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bodo/Glimt, Flamengo and Paris Saint-Germain have been nominated for Men’s Club of the Year.
- Perry Miller Carpenter
Monday, 7 September 2026
NICOLA PELTZ IS A REAL-LIFE PRINCESS IN PURPLE BALENCIAGA GOWN AT THE KINÉO AWARDS RED CARPET AT THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL WITH BROOKLYN BECKHAM
Peltz was joined by her husband Brooklyn Beckham.
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| Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz attend the Kinéo Award Red Carpet during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on Sept. 05, 2026, in Venice. GETTY |
It was date night on the red carpet for Nicola Peltz and her husband Brooklyn Beckham. The pair attended the Kinéo Awards held during the 2026 Venice Film Festival on Sept. 5. Nicola was honored with a rising star award for her work as an actress, producer, and budding filmmaker.
The “Lola” star was dressed in a look hailing from Balenciaga that transformed her into something out of a fairy tale. The garment was a deep shade of purple, almost eggplant, and featured an asymmetric neckline that draped over a single shoulder, transitioning into a thin midsection with cutouts on either side. A sliver of fabric connected the bodice to a low-rise bottom featuring a fitted waist and voluminous skirt equipped with a train that trailed behind Nicola as she walked.
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| Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz attend the Kinéo Award Red Carpet during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on Sept. 05, 2026, in Venice. GETTY IMAGES |
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| Nicola Peltz at the Kinéo Award Red Carpet during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on Sept. 05, 2026, in Venice. GETTY IMAGES |
The designer piece seemed to be made of a mix of tulle and some other opaque fabric that was mottled with darker accents for dimension. A veil was then strategically placed in Nicola’s hair over a bun, made of the same fabric as her dress. The fabric draped beautifully down her back, seemingly melding into her dress to create an ethereal vision. The romantic silhouette, especially in that shade of purple, was eye-catching, certainly a standout fashion moment on the red carpet that night.
Nicola’s hair was styled in a half-up, half-down style. Half of her hair was fixed into a bun at the back of her head, while the rest was left to cascade down her spine, eclipsed under her veil. The focus was placed on her outfit, which meant makeup was minimal, with a focus on clean skin and a flushed complexion. A nude glossy lip rounded out her look.
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| Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz attend the Kinéo Award Red Carpet during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on Sept. 05, 2026, in Venice. GETTY IMAGES |
“Thank you so much for this immense honour. To receive an award at the Venice Film Festival is something I will carry with me for the rest of my career,” Nicola said as she accepted the award, via The Sun. “My family are my everything. My mum, dad, (brothers) Diesel and Brad, and Brooklyn, thank you. You always believe in me. To have your support is the reason I can reach for the stars in the first place.”
- AMINA AYOUD
F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX WINNING ITALIAN DRIVERS
50 grands prix wins for Italian drivers in the F1 world championship 🏁🇮🇹
Kimi Antonelli’s 7th career grand prix win sees him move up to be the Italian driver with second most wins in F1 history.
It won’t be long before he surpasses Alberto Ascari’s total of 13 the way things are going...
- Motor Sport Magazine
MONAE' NICHOLS WENT FROM DEAD LAST TO DIAMOND 💎 LEAGUE CHAMPION
Monae’ Nichols 🇺🇸 went from dead last to Diamond League champion! 💎
After finishing last in Zurich last year with five fouls, Nichols bounced back in the biggest way, soaring 6.91m in Brussels to take her first Diamond Trophy.
“I was like, I’m getting that trophy somehow.” And now she’s taking it home.
What a comeback. What a story. 🤯
📸: DAN VERNON for Diamond League AG
UNDER-FIRE FIFA BOSS GIANNI INFANTINO TO SEEK RE-ELECTION DESPITE CALLS TO RESIGN
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| Gianni Infantino was first elected FIFA president in 2016. © Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP/File |
FIFA President Gianni Infantino plans to seek his fourth and final term in next year’s election, despite the outrage sparked by his now-shelved plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. “Nothing has changed,” a spokesman for football’s governing body confirmed on Sunday, referring to an announcement Infantino made back in April.
Gianni Infantino will stand in next March's FIFA presidential election, despite the backlash over his now-abandoned plan to bring private investment into the World Cup, football's global governing body announced Sunday.
"The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027," a FIFA spokesperson said. "Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election."
The 56-year-old Swiss has taken a pummelling since the announcement in late July of his short-lived FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan to bring private investment into FIFA events.
But now for the first time since the plan became public, FIFA has reiterated Infantino's intention to run for a fourth and final term in next year's elections.
Should he be re-elected, he will continue to serve as head of world football until 2031.
Infantino is in Poland for the Women's Under-20 World Cup, but refused to answer queries about his future when questioned by journalists on Saturday.
Only candidate
European body UEFA has accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" over the scheme and was the ringleader of the initial fightback to the announcement, including threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups, if it was not shelved.
If UEFA withdrew its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments on August 27 – ahead of the Women's Under-20 World Cup in Poland – it remains absolute in its conviction that Infantino must depart his role.
The European body has filed requests in the USA for the disclosure of documents related to the plan from FIFA and partners.
If successful in gaining access to the documents, UEFA had said it intends to lodge a legal complaint in Switzerland, saying it has been assured the case would meet the requirements to be heard in a Swiss court.
It has also found solid support from North American body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in its actions against Infantino.
The three confederations have kept up the pressure and collaborated on a no-holds-barred joint letter issued last month.
"Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held," they wrote.
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is widely seen as the likeliest challenger to Infantino – UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out.
Montagliani, a FIFA vice-president, had long been regarded as a close ally of Infantino, but there were signs, even before he distanced himself over the now-scrapped plan to allow private investment into World Cups, that he viewed FIFA's purpose somewhat differently to the Swiss.
But Infantino is not without friends – 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia came out in support last month, with African football's governing body CAF and South America's CONMEBOL supportive, too.
Earlier in September, FIFA also accused UEFA of a "smear campaign" and a "fishing expedition" against Infantino.
As the only declared candidate so far for the election due to take place in Rabat, Infantino will need a simple majority of votes from the 211 federations affiliated to FIFA to extend his term of office, which began in 2016 and was renewed in 2023.
Candidate nominations for next year's election must be submitted by November 18.
- FRANCE 24 with AFP
Sunday, 6 September 2026
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