xG in football: what expected goals are and how they are calculated
xG scores every chance between zero and one, and it does not predict the match. What the model looks at, what a penalty is worth and why two sites show different numbers.
Copa América: how it works, who gets in and why the calendar moves
CONMEBOL has ten national teams, and everything follows from that: the invited guests, the irregular calendar and a qualifying competition where everyone plays everyone.
Copa Sudamericana: how it works, who enters and what the winner gets
The Sudamericana is called South America's second competition, and the label hides the point: its winner enters the Libertadores and plays the Recopa.
Champions League prize money: what each club earns and how UEFA splits it
UEFA does not pay one prize to the winner. The money comes from five separate sources, and one of them is settled before a ball is kicked.
Arsenal lead Hinshelwood race as Barcelona ready third Rodri bid
BBC Sport's Saturday gossip says Arsenal front the queue for Jack Hinshelwood, Barcelona plan a third Rodri bid and three clubs discuss Osimhen.
Reijnders set for £52m Manchester City exit to Al-Qadsiah
Manchester City have agreed a £52m deal with Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah for midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, according to BBC Sport and ESPN.
Carrick: Man Utd need more signings before deadline
Michael Carrick says Manchester United need more signings before the deadline, telling BBC Sport the club must keep pushing in his first full season.
Spence lands in Italy as Inter close in on Tottenham defender
ESPN says Djed Spence has arrived in Italy to finalise a move to Inter, while BBC Sport's gossip page places him on the verge of the switch.
Copa Libertadores Explained: What It Is and How It Works
A clear guide to South America's biggest club competition: who qualifies, how the group and knockout stages work, and why the tournament matters.
Yellow Card and Red Card Rules: Bookings, Accumulation, Bans
How yellow and red cards work in football: which offences are punished, how cautions accumulate into suspensions, and the nuances that still confuse fans.
Tiki-Taka Explained: How the Short-Passing Style Works
A clear guide to tiki-taka: what the term means, how the short-passing game is built on the pitch, where it came from and why it is so often misunderstood.
The international break: why the league stops and clubs must release
FIFA's calendar, not the league, forces clubs to release players, and since 2026 September and October are one window. Days, matches, who pays.
Switching national teams: when a player can change country
FIFA changed the rule on 18 September 2020. A player can now switch national teams even after a senior cap, under exact conditions.
Champions League tie-breakers: the order that settles the single table
Thirty-six clubs share one table and almost nobody plays everybody. The order of the ten criteria that separate clubs level on points.
Tiki-Taka vs Catenaccio: Two Ways to Own a Game
One system controls a match by denying space, the other by denying the ball. Both won everything, and both were accused of killing the show.
Champions League vs Libertadores: What the Rules Say
Champions League and Libertadores now end the same way. Their rules, though, describe two very different continents.
Premier League vs Bundesliga: who can own a club
The 50+1 rule keeps the German members in charge of the vote, while an English club can be sold outright. Each choice has a price.
Bayern vs Dortmund: the story of Der Klassiker
Germany's game of games: how Bayern and Borussia Dortmund became rivals, from the 1990s revolution to the Wembley final.
Juventus vs Inter: the story of the Derby d'Italia
The clasico that splits Italy without sharing a city: how the rivalry between Juventus and Inter was born, from Gianni Brera to Calciopoli.
Fla-Flu: the story of Rio's Flamengo vs Fluminense derby
Flamengo and Fluminense share the Maracana, the city and a century of passion. How Rio's great derby was born and why it is unlike any other.
Harry Kane becomes the first Englishman to win Germany's Footballer of the Year
The Bayern Munich striker took 272 votes from the VDS journalists, 69 clear of Michael Olise, to become the first English winner in 67 editions of Germany's Footballer of the Year.
Memphis' new deal includes World Cup, sponsor bonuses
Deal with Corinthians until 2028 includes clauses that could guarantee new earnings for the Dutch forward
Musiala faints again, reveals neurological diagnosis
Bayern Munich midfielder had a new episode during a friendly and reassured fans by explaining he is receiving medical care
Premier League Bans Towels to Dry Ball, Arsenal Affected
The Premier League has banned players from using towels to dry the ball during matches this season, a rule affecting champions Arsenal.