Ducati sign Acosta as Bagnaia to leave at end of 2026 season

June 24 (Reuters) - Ducati have signed Pedro Acosta for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons, the Italian manufacturer said on Wednesday, hours after confirming that two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia will leave the team at the end of 2026.

Football

FIFA World Cup: Ghana draw cools England hype and revives familiar questions

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 24 (Reuters) - Thomas Tuchel's England were riding a wave of optimism at the World Cup after their opening 4-2 demolition of Croatia, but Tuesday's 0-0 draw against Ghana served as a reminder that progress at major tournaments is not always straightforward.

Tennis

Top contender Sabalenka faces fresh scrutiny at Wimbledon as mental scars linger

BENGALURU, June 24 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka will carry the aftershocks of yet another Grand Slam meltdown into Wimbledon as the world number one comes under heightened scrutiny to show her nerve holds when the pressure spikes on the sport's biggest stage.

Football

FIFA World Cup: England coach Tuchel says Ghana defensive wall was toughest he has seen

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts, June 23 (Reuters) - England coach Thomas Tuchel said his team had been frustrated by one of the most robust defensive displays he had ever seen in Tuesday's 0-0 World Cup draw with Ghana, and he urged fans to stay positive.

Football

CAS's Gothberg ruling reinforces FIFA maternity protections, says FIFPRO

June 24 (Reuters) - A recent Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling in favour of Swedish defender Maja Gothberg has been hailed by player advocates and legal experts as a landmark decision for women's football and pregnancy-related contract termination.

Football

FIFA World Cup: Maradona, Tepito and the mystery behind a $9 million shirt

MEXICO CITY, June 23 (Reuters) - Before Diego Maradona's famous blue shirt became a $9.28 million auction item, it may have had a humbler beginning in Tepito, Mexico City's market district where, as filmmaker Phidel McCabe puts it, "you can find literally anything."