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The left-arm spinner mainly bowled the one that spun and the one that didn’t, the latter with a little underspin. In Galle, that’s often enough

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Nov-2021Bowling his eighth delivery of the second day, Veerasammy Permaul comes around the wicket to the right-handed Pathum Nissanka. Oshada Fernando had been out just before, but Nissanka is set, on 73, and Sri Lanka have plenty of batting to come. It could be a slow morning. It could be a slow Tuesday.Permaul’s first over of the day, bowled exclusively to Angelo Mathews, had largely been populated by darters – balls that kept Mathews pinned to the crease, but were unlikely to bring a dismissal. Maybe Permaul was nervous. This was his first Test in more than six years, and on day one, Nissanka had hit him for six early in his five-over spell. This is Galle, on whose bone-dry dust spinners are expected to be magic. But in his first foray to the bowling crease, Permaul had barely created a chance.Related

• Permaul, Warrican give West Indies nine-wicket morning

• Thigh strain could restrict Mathews' participation in Test

But this ball, delivered with a little underspin, misses the seam as it pitches, and shimmies into Nissanka’s front pad – the batter having expected the ball to turn. And wow! It’s plumb. Nissanka doesn’t bother with a review. Permaul hasn’t played Tests since going for runs against Australia in August 2015, so this is his first Test wicket in six years. But he doesn’t celebrate like a dam has burst.Something does give way, though. Sri Lanka had been 106 for 0, then 139 for 1. Nissanka played a chancy, but brave, innings for his 73. Now, there are two new men at the crease, on a track that is famously unkind to new batters. Perhaps it’s the confidence of that first wicket, but two balls later, Permaul slows one up outside off stump, gets it to bite, and draws a mistake – Dhananjaya de Silva following the ball with his hands, to give an edge to the wicketkeeper.Next over, suddenly, Permaul is floating everything up. He dares debutant Charith Asalanka to try something fancy, like the reverse sweep for four he had played to get his first Test runs. Asalanka refuses to be tempted, but on a Galle track such as this, you don’t always have to make a mistake against the spinners to be dismissed. Last ball of that over, Asalanka pushes out at one, and the surface does its thing. There’s a puff of dust as the ball pitches, and there is drastic turn. The inside edge hits the pad and pops up to short leg. In Permaul’s last match, in Kingston, way back, he’d conceded 207 runs and taken only two wickets. Here, he’s got three in the space of 11 balls.

Although this was Sri Lankan soil he was bowling on, not Guyanese, and the Indian Ocean glittered from the distance, not the Atlantic, if you’re a spinner, and you’re willing to be brave, playing at Galle can be a little like coming home

Now there’s some hollering. Some vigour in that celebration. He’s not a fringe player battling to justify selection and keep his place in the team. He’s a lead spinner turning a match, yanking his side into the series. At the other end, Jomel Warrican is ripping it up too – more body into his action than has been seen through much of the series.Late on day one, when Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne were putting on their 100-run stand, Sri Lanka seemed headed for another 300-plus total. Yet, midway through the first session on day two, West Indies’ spinners are making it seem like there are landmines just under the surface. Warrican gets a couple in quick succession – Dinesh Chandimal trapped in front with one that dips under the batter’s sweep, before a hard-spun full delivery takes Ramesh Mendis’ leading edge and floats out to cover.Where once Permaul ambled to the crease, he is stomping to his mark now. The batters are fearful of the surface, but Permaul is suddenly bowling so well, he doesn’t need the track’s help – he’s beating his opponents in the air. Suranga Lakmal is early through a hoick to the leg side, and the edge floats directly to point, the fielder not having to move, as if he and the ball were keeping an appointment. Lasith Embuldeniya tries to play Permaul to the off side, but is defeated completely in the flight. He’s bowled. Permaul has the first five-wicket haul of his career, and is jubilant. When Warrican wraps up the innings with a superbly flighting, dipping, turning ball that tickles the top of Mathews’ stumps, the broadcast cameras sprint on the field and veer off towards deep midwicket; that’s where Permaul is.There was nothing extraordinary in Permaul’s bowling on Tuesday. He used largely two variations – the one that spun, and the one that didn’t, the latter delivered with a little underspin. But when Galle’s surface gave him something, he shot up by two feet, and as much as such a thing is possible for a slow left armer, grew a barrel chest.Over the past six years, in which he only had sporadic opportunities in the white-ball teams, Permaul must have had his share of frustrations. But although this was Sri Lankan soil he was bowling on, not Guyanese, and the Indian Ocean glittered from the distance, not the Atlantic, if you’re a spinner, and you’re willing to be brave, playing at Galle can be a little like coming home.

Get ready for the start of the Rothesay County Championship with our Division One preview

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2025.

Durham

Last season: 5th in Division One
Director of cricket: Marcus North
Head coach: Ryan Campbell
Captain: Alex Lees
Overseas: David Bedingham, Brendan Doggett (April-May)
Ins: Emilio Gay (Northants), Will Rhodes (Warwickshire), Sam Conners (Derbyshire)
Outs: Michael Jones (Lancashire), Jonathan Bushnell, Brandon Glover, Oliver Gibson (all released)Durham were viewed in some quarters as dark horses for the title on their return to Division One. Such predictions took a dent when their first outing, following a washout in the opening round, saw Warwickshire pile up 698 for 3 declared. Scott Boland, the club’s marquee overseas signing, was ruled out after one appearance, while Matt Potts, Ben Raine and Brydon Carse couldn’t get a peep out of the Kookaburra on the way to combined figures of 0 for 334.
The team’s character shone through in battling their way to a draw (Potts scoring 149 not out as nightwatcher), and although they never quite managed a sustained run of form, losing as many games as they won, a fifth-place finish showed that Ryan Campbell’s Bazball-adjacent methods were comfortably at home in the top tier.Related

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• Will Smeed fighting on all fronts for Somerset after red-ball reversal

Their durability was summed up by David Bedingham topping the Division One run-scoring with 1331 at 78.29, and Durham’s batting riches will present a conundrum for Campbell to solve this season, with Emilio Gay and Will Rhodes arriving to provide top-order competition. Scott Borthwick remains available for selection having moved into a player-coach role, while Ben McKinney is one of the most exciting young players around – and then there’s the potential that Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, will want a game here or there, too, though Campbell is planning to be without.One to watch: The day after Daniel Hogg completed figures of 7 for 66 on first-class debut, the ‘s doyen of cricket coverage, Scyld Berry, tweeted that he would take “150 plus” Test wickets for England “if he stays fit”. Hogg, 20, is early in his journey, with six first-team appearances to his name, but looks to be the latest off the Durham fast-bowler production line. Alan GardnerBet365: 10/1David Bedingham was the leading run-scorer in Division One last year•Getty Images

Essex

Last season: 4th in Division One
Director of cricket: Chris Silverwood
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer
Ins:

Outs: Ben Allison (Worcestershire), Feroze Khushi (released), Aaron Beard (retired)An air of optimism and renewal envelops Chelmsford at the start of what promises to be a hugely significant season. In 2017, Chris Silverwood delivered the club’s first Championship title in a quarter of a century, and now he is back as director of cricket. Just as he built the structure that has sustained their red-ball standards in the intervening eight years, the replenishment of those stocks is right at the top of the to-do list. In particular, a succession plan for their pre-eminent new-ball pairing of Jamie Porter and Sam Cook is a pre-requisite.To that end, the loss of allrounder Shardul Thakur to the IPL is a huge blow. It ought to have been a win-win, with Thakur using his Championship stint to vault himself back into the reckoning for India’s five-Test tour later this summer, but Essex’s loss has already been Lucknow Super Giants’ gain. Finding a replacement overseas quick will be vital, though no easy task in the current franchise market.They’ll be lacking their other overseas pro too, at least in the short term. Dean Elgar is due to return for a second season, having seamlessly filled the role of nuggety left-handed opener that was Alastair Cook’s for so many years, but for the time being he’s on indefinite paternity leave after the recent birth of his twins. Meanwhile Jordan Cox – so luckless this winter with a Test debut on the cards – needs a mountain of runs to force his way back into England’s plans. If his personal hunger translates to the squad as a whole, there’s exciting times ahead.One to watch: Essex’s reputation for homegrown players could be perpetuated if this is the season in which Jamal Richards breaks into the big time. Aged 21, he’s an alumnus of Graham Gooch’s old school in Waltham Forest, and his pace was amply displayed on his first-class debut in 2023, when he wrecked Ireland’s top-order en route to a first-innings five-for. He’s young and raw, but he’ll get his chances, and with Silverwood back in the building, rapid development is on the cards. Andrew MillerBet365: 13/2

Hampshire

Last season: 2nd in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
Head coach: Adi Birrell
Captain: Ben Brown
Overseas: Kyle Abbott, Brett Hampton (April-May), Dewald Brevis (May-July)
Ins: Sonny Baker (Somerset), Mark Stoneman (Middlesex)
Outs: James Vince (red-ball retirement), Mohammad Abbas (Nottinghamshire)James Vince’s relocation to Dubai leaves a sizeable hole in the batting for Hampshire, who also released seamer Mohammad Abbas after four seasons yielding 180 wickets at 19.07. Mark Stoneman’s arrival from Middlesex goes some way towards filling the Vince void, while Sonny Baker, from Somerset, joins the pace ranks led again by the formidable Kyle Abbott, in his ninth season with the club.In Abbott and Liam Dawson, Hampshire had the No. 2 and No. 3 wicket-takers in the competition last year, lending plenty of stability despite those big-name departures. Dawson can also provide valuable runs, having contributed 956 in 2024, just 30 runs shy of club leader Vince and with a better average of 59.75.It’s a new era off the field with Hampshire entering the Championship as the first overseas-owned club in English county cricket. If they can improve on their top-three finishes of the past three seasons and go one better than last year, it would be an instant return on the investment of India’s GMR Group.One to watch: Tom Prest has just turned 22 but with three centuries from his 10 appearances last season, he heralded himself as another batter capable of covering for Vince’s absence. The stage is now set for the former England Under-19 captain to grab his own piece of the spotlight. Valkerie BaynesBet365: 10/1Liam Dawson will again be a key cog for Hampshire•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire

Last season: 8th in Division One
Director of cricket: Mick Newell
Head coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas: Kyle Verreynne, Fergus O’Neil (April), Mohammad Abbas (May & September)
Ins: Conor McKerr (Surrey)

Outs: Fateh Singh (Worcestershire), Luke Fletcher (released), Tom Loten, Toby Pettman (both retired)Last year’s dabble with relegation was inexplicable given the talent at Trent Bridge. The squad riches were typified by the fact many were in action over the winter. Even head coach Peter Moores dipped into the franchise circuit. But success closer to home will be scrutinised extra keenly, and it is reasonable to suggest that Moores’ job may depend on it.Red-ball silverware is a stretch, but there is no reason why Nottinghamshire cannot register a high finish. They boast a host of England cricketers, plenty of them in active service, many of whom reside in their bowling stocks.Olly Stone and Josh Tongue (who should finally make his Nottinghamshire debut) are on central contracts, while Dillon Pennington remains in the selectors’ thoughts after a winter with the Lions. The addition of Conor McKerr adds another tall, bouncy quick into the mix.Factor in Brett Hutton’s return to fitness after battling achilles trouble last summer, Lyndon James’ emergence and Mohammad Abbas for a couple of months, there is plenty of wiliness to supplement the speed. And with Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke set to build on their consistency with the bat, plus South Africa keeper-batter Kyle Verreynne on hand for the majority of the season – he averaged 248 from three appearances in 2024 – there is little reason why a top-half finish cannot be achieved.One to watch: It is probably cheating to put Farhan Ahmed in this category given he has already been seen. A debut first-class campaign might have only amounted to four games, but with 22 wickets at 23.22 – almost half of them against Surrey when, aged 16, he became the youngest to take 10 wickets in an English first-class match – everyone is on notice. The offspinner’s superstrength is his accuracy, a hell of a trait for someone so young. With left-arm twirler Liam Patterson-White and leggie Calvin Harrison also vying for playing time, his opportunities won’t be plentiful, but he’ll be sure to make them count. Vithushan EhantharajahBet365: 16/1

Somerset

Last season: 3rd in Division One
Director of cricket: Andy Hurry
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Overseas: Matt Henry, Migael Pretorius, Riley Meredith
Ins:
Outs: Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Ned Leonard (Glamorgan), George Thomas (Sussex), Roelof van der Merwe (released)Three near-misses across formats in 2024 have Somerset battle-sharp and determined to avoid the late-season fade-out which cost them greatly in the Championship when Hampshire pipped them to second place in the final round, the week after a loss to Lancashire confirmed Surrey as winners.Matt Henry, the New Zealand seamer so pivotal to Somerset’s Vitality Blast success in 2023 and who took 32 wickets from six Championship games that season, is expected to arrive for his second stint at the club between rounds one and two despite missing the home series against Pakistan with shoulder and knee problems.Will Smeed offers a fascinating storyline with the bat after reversing his decision to play only white-ball cricket. A fractured foot suffered during the SA20 may delay plans for his first-class debut slightly, but, when the day does arrive, his explosive style combined with a new-found enthusiasm for the long format could be quite something to watch.With Shoaib Bashir on loan to Glamorgan for the start of the season, veteran Jack Leach spearheads the spin attack and believes a strong start will provide added insurance against any slips later on. “There’s no point in thinking about the last two weeks of the season until you’ve taken care of the first weeks of the season, so we need to get off to a really good start,” he said. “A moment in April could be the moment that allows you to go and win it.”One to watch: Archie Vaughan, the 19-year-old son of former England captain Michael, thrived in his four Championship games last season, averaging 33.71 with the bat and taking 15 wickets at 20.13. That included a match-winning 11-wicket haul against Surrey which kept Somerset’s title hopes alive. Having said he can be his “own man” at a club where “my dad’s not known”, it feels like only a matter of time before another Vaughan is famous in these parts. VBBet365: 13/2Archie Vaughan has already made a name for himself at Taunton•Harry Trump/Getty Images

Surrey

Last season: 1st in Division One
High performance cricket adviser: Alec Stewart
Head coach: Gareth Batty
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas: Kemar Roach (April), Nathan Smith (May-Sept)
Ins: Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire)
Outs: Conor McKerr (Nottinghamshire), Ben Geddes (Middlesex), Amar Virdi (released)Boring, isn’t it? Not for Surrey, they like it. And they want more.A squad who have lost just five Championship matches across their hat-trick of title-winning campaigns have arguably been strengthened without doing all that much, and with the possibility of losing Dan Worrall to England duty.The Anglicised Aussie has 139 dismissals at 21.17 since moving to the Kia Oval in 2022, and should Rob Key give him a call, he will undoubtedly be a miss. But with Matthew Fisher now down in south London and New Zealand’s punchy bowling allrounder Nathan Smith on deck from May, there is handy cover.Factor in Dan Lawrence losing his England place, Will Jacks on the outside looking in, the desires of Jamie Overton and Sam Curran to push their cases with more red-ball work, and Ben Foakes relieved to no longer be subject to the “will they, won’t they” discourse, there are plenty of personal ambitions to fuel the whole. Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson will play some part in the first six rounds. It will business as usual for openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley.Even with Alec Stewart’s more subdued role this season – not that subdued, by all accounts – the Surrey juggernaut rolls on. Will it be four in a row? Perhaps the better question is who can stop them?One to watch: A tough one to pick given Surrey’s depth – and the fact precocious allrounder Tom Lawes already has two winner’s medals around his neck – but 20-year-old Ollie Sykes is another highly rated batter off the production line. A new-age leftie who crouches low with a high backlift, he debuted across all formats for the club last season, making his first-class bow in the final Championship game at Essex, though he made a two-ball duck in his only knock. He tuned up for this summer by hitting 32 off a James Coles over in a warm-up match down at Sussex. VEBet365: 11/10

Sussex

Last season: 1st in Division Two
Head coach: Paul Farbrace
Captain: John Simpson
Overseas: Daniel Hughes, Jayden Seales (April-May), Nathan McAndrew (June-July), Gurinder Sandhu (June-July), Jaydev Unadkat (Sept)
Ins: George Thomas (Somerset), Nantes Oosthuizen, Troy Henry
Outs: Sussex walked the talk after Paul Farbrace challenged his players to secure a place in the top tier for the first time since 2015, winning eight of their 14 games to claim the Division Two title. John Simpson proved a revelatory appointment in his first crack at captaincy after a 15-year career, leading from the front with five hundreds and 1197 runs at 74.81, while 24-year-old offspinner Jack Carson enjoyed his best summer with 50 wickets at 22.46 (not to mention 458 runs). A balanced squad was lifted by incisive contributions from Sussex’s overseas signings, including Jayden Seales (24 wickets at 24.25), Jaydev Unadkat (22 at 14.40), Cheteshwar Pujara (501 runs at 62.62) and Daniel Hughes (340 at 56.66).The challenge is to replicate such consistency at a higher level. Paul Farbrace has rejected talk of survival and is targeting a top-four finish as a minimum; for that, Sussex will need strong performances from the core of their side, players such as Carson, Tom Haines, Tom Clark, Tom Alsop and James Coles, all of whom have yet to prove themselves in Division One. It could also be a big summer for Ollie Robinson. Last year’s return of 39 wickets at 25.53 was solid without being spectacular, but the bigger stage might galvanise attempts to remind England of his qualities.One to watch: At the end of last summer, Troy Henry was one of two cricketers in the groundbreaking African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) programme to be awarded a professional rookie contract live on Sky Sports. That will fund his first year at Sussex, after the 20-year-old was signed following open trials at the club in January. A left-arm spinner and former ACE captain, he has previously played national counties cricket with Hertfordshire. AGBet365: 16/1Ollie Robinson will lead the Sussex attack on their return to Division One•Getty Images

Warwickshire

Last season: 7th in Division One
Performance director: James Thomas
Head coach: Ian Westwood
Captain: Alex Davies
Overseas: Vishwa Fernando (April), Tom Latham, Beau Webster (May-July), Hasan Ali (May-Sept)
Ins: Ethan Bamber (Middlesex)
Outs: Will Rhodes (Durham), Chris Benjamin (Kent), Liam Norwell, Michael Burgess (both retired)An underwhelming seventh-placed finish wasn’t going to cut it for Warwickshire’s management, who responded with a restructure in which Mark Robinson left his role as head coach after four seasons and the club recruited performance director James Thomas from Manchester City. New first-team coach Ian Westwood, the former Warwickshire opener promoted from his position as Robinson’s assistant, has an early headache with the delayed arrival of New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham due to a broken hand, the club hoping he will be back in action by early May.Wicketkeeper Michael Burgess’s surprise retirement to pursue other career opportunities in London headlined a player exodus from the club. They are also without Will Rhodes, whose third century of the season sealed safety before he left for Durham. Warwickshire only recruited Middlesex seamer Ethan Bamber locally, in addition to Australian allrounder Beau Webster and Sri Lanka quick Vishwa Fernando. With only Vishwa available from their overseas contingent before May, when the returning Hasan Ali will also link up with the side, Warwickshire face a challenging start to a season where any slips could leave them vulnerable.One to watch: Hamza Shaikh, the 18-year-old academy product added three Championship appearances last season to his first-class debut for England Lions against Sri Lanka, where he scored a first-innings 91. An unbeaten 33 in a supporting role to Rhodes as Warwickshire held out for a draw – and top-flight survival – against Worcestershire, was an impressive next step after his performance as leading run-scorer in England Under-19s quadrangular series in India in 2023. VBBet365: 14/1

Worcestershire

Last season: 6th in Division One
Head coach: Alan Richardson
Captain: Brett D’Oliveira
Overseas: Jacob Duffy (April-June)

Ins: Ben Allison (Essex), Fateh Singh (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: Joe Leach, Josh Cobb (both retired)As press releases go, the one that landed from Worcestershire on March 25 took the biscuit: “Scheduled cricket scheduled to go ahead as scheduled …” was the gist of the message from Ashley Giles, the club’s chief executive, “… unless it doesn’t”.Such are the extraordinary climate-related pressures on Worcestershire these days. Tellingly, the ECB hadn’t scheduled a Championship match at New Road until the fourth round, starting April 25, in a bid to protect the club against the worst of the potential spring floods that have blighted their iconic home in recent years. With studies showing that 19 of the ground’s 30 worst floods since 1899 have occurred in the last 25 years, Worcestershire’s concerns about their long-term viability permeate every facet of the club, and even their share of an anticipated Hundred windfall won’t in itself be sufficient to start planning for a relocation.In the circumstances, therefore, the club’s achievements in the past two seasons have been remarkable. If 2023’s promotion from Division Two was impressive, then last summer’s calm retention of their top-flight status was even more so.It promises to be an even tougher year ahead, however – not least because of the absences in the club’s ranks, most notably their gut-busting captain Joe Leach, who retired last summer after finishing as their joint-leading wicket-taker for the campaign with 27. New Zealand’s Nathan Smith and West Indies’ Jason Holder proved to be model overseas pros too. Much rests on Jacob Duffy to provide similar impact with the ball as his compatriot.One to watch: Kashif Ali has been the breakout star of the renowned SACA program, and the consistency of his 2024 campaign – 1180 runs at 42.61, including twin hundreds against Warwickshire – underpinned their solid season-long showing. The challenge is now to carry that form into a third season, with expectations heightened and ambitions ignited for higher honours. AMBet365: 33/1Jonny Bairstow will hope to lead from the front at Yorkshire•Getty Images

Yorkshire

Last season: 2nd in Division Two
Director of cricket: Gavin Hamilton
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Jonny Bairstow
Overseas: Ben Sears, Jordan Buckingham (May), Will Sutherland (May-July)
Ins: Jack White (Northamptonshire)
Outs: Matthew Fisher (Surrey), Dom Leech (Northamptonshire), Mickey Edwards (retired)
It says much for the turbulence at Yorkshire in recent seasons that neither captain nor coach from their promotion campaign will return. Ottis Gibson signed off from three challenging years in the job by getting Yorkshire back into Division One before the club moved for one of their own, appointing Anthony McGrath after a success-filled reign at Essex. His brief is a simple one: make Yorkshire contenders once again. With Jonny Bairstow taking over the captaincy from the departed Shan Masood, there will be no shortage of pride in the White Rose this summer.Having started slowly, with five draws and two defeats in the first half of 2024, Yorkshire found their stride to win five of their last seven games – three of them by an innings – and shoulder their way past Middlesex. Adam Lyth, now in his 38th year, finished as the division’s second-leading run-scorer and is a proven performer in the top tier. With Bairstow set to benefit from the presence of Joe Root and Harry Brook for at least some of the Championship’s opening stretch – although Brook will miss the first three rounds – Yorkshire could field an intimidating top six. The bowling, led by Ben Coad, will miss Fisher but has been supplemented by a trio of Antipodean quicks. Spin could prove to be a weakness, however.One to watch: James Wharton has been around Yorkshire’s first-team squad for several seasons but 2024 proved a coming of age. His maiden first-class hundred, 188 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield, helped spark Yorkshire’s charge in the second half of the season. He then hit the runs to secure promotion on the way to a mammoth 285 in the final round. AGBet365: 16/1

The FA are reportedly set to raise formal concerns with FIFA after England supporters reacted with fury to “outrageous” World Cup ticket prices, with the cheapest seats for the final costing over £3,000 and a full run following the Three Lions exceeding £5,000. Fan groups have already condemned the pricing as a betrayal, leaving the FA under pressure to challenge football’s global governing body.

• FA set to hold talks with FIFA regarding 'outrageous' ticket prices

  The Football Association is preparing to engage FIFA directly, as per The Daily Mail, after the release of World Cup ticket prices sparked widespread outrage among England supporters. The cheapest seats offered to members of the England Supporters Travel Club for the final exceed £3,129, while following the team from the group stage to the final would cost more than £5,000 before travel or accommodation. These figures are far higher than those outlined in the original 2026 host bid, where the cheapest seats were priced at just £15.70.

  Fans’ groups branded the prices “laughable”, “scandalous”, and a “monumental betrayal”, with Football Supporters Europe calling for an immediate halt to ticket sales. The FA, which only learned of the detailed pricing structure when it was made public, has acknowledged the anger among supporters and intends to convey their concerns formally. While sympathetic, the FA has also made clear internally that it does not expect FIFA to reverse or significantly amend its pricing model.

  Cost increases appear tied to FIFA’s decision to align prices with major US sports events, and the governing body now expects ticket revenue to reach $3.3 billion, almost double the amount promised in the original bid. National associations, including England’s, are alarmed at the impact on dedicated supporters, particularly with Participating Member Associations (PMA) tickets now up to five times more expensive than in Qatar 2022. Some insiders believe certain England allocations may not even sell out, despite a large ex-pat population in the United States expected to boost attendance.

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  2026 World Cup set to cost England fans over £5000 to the final

  For England fans and supporters of other nations, the financial burden for attending the 2026 World Cup presents a stark contrast to the inclusivity historically associated with global footballing tournaments. Many have highlighted that the rising cost of travel, accommodation and tickets is threatening to turn the tournament into an exclusive event accessible mainly to high-income supporters. This has also reignited broader debates around FIFA’s commercial priorities and the future accessibility of international football.

  The FA’s limited control over World Cup pricing has created a sense of helplessness among supporters who feel increasingly alienated by decisions made above the national association level. Fan groups argue that FIFA’s approach reveals a governing body more interested in maximising revenue than protecting football’s universality. With Category 3 tickets already surpassing £5,200 for a full England run, many fear this tournament could set a new precedent for pricing across future competitions.

  In contrast, the FA has been quick to point out its commitment to ensuring affordable access at Euro 2028, which it will co-host with Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The organisation has pledged that the dynamic pricing, now being employed in FIFA’s resale markets, will not be used at the European Championship.

• Supporters frustrated by FIFA's 'bait and switch'

  The core frustration among fans is not only the cost but the dramatic gap between FIFA’s 2026 bid commitments and the reality presented in the ticket release. The bid stated that the cheapest seats for the final would be £95, not thirty times that amount, and the cheapest group-stage tickets would begin at just £15.70. This discrepancy has been described by supporters as a “bait and switch”, undermining confidence in the transparency of football’s governing structures.

  Fan groups have also lashed out at the PMA ticketing approach, which asks supporters to pay upfront for tickets all the way to the final, even if their team does not progress. If England are eliminated early, supporters will only receive refunds minus administrative fees—another issue branded by the FSA as “beyond shameless”. Football Supporters Europe further criticised FIFA’s new variable pricing model, which forces supporters of different nations to pay different amounts for the same match and same seating category without any clear justification.

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  FIFA unlikely to change their 'fair' ticket prices

  FIFA has defended its pricing, arguing that it reflects market conditions and the secondary ticket landscape in North America. The governing body claims its approach ensures “fair access” for both existing and prospective fans, though few supporters agree with this interpretation.

  Nonetheless, the FA will now begin formal discussions with FIFA, although sources close to the governing body insist expectations for meaningful change are low. The organisation intends to represent the views of England supporters robustly, emphasising affordability, transparency and the need to preserve football’s inclusive culture. However, with FIFA having already adjusted its revenue projections and grounded its pricing in US market norms, the likelihood of a significant revision is slim.

  Unless FIFA shifts its stance, next summer’s World Cup may become one of the most financially demanding tournaments ever for ordinary supporters and one of the most divisive in the competition’s storied history.

Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed inflicted a late collapse on South Africa to bowl them out for an under-par 263 in the opening ODI in Faisalabad.On a dry, flat batting surface, it allowed Pakistan to control the tempo of the chase, one in which they further tightened their grip with an 87-run opening stand in the first 15 overs. South Africa battled hard through the middle overs to drag the hosts back, but Mohammad Rizwan, freshly stripped of the ODI captaincy, shepherded his side calmly through the middle overs with 55, while Salman Agha chipped in with a half-century of his own.But it wasn’t without a dramatic late stumble that almost derailed Pakistan right at the death, needing a late Mohammad Nawaz six to see Pakistan through to a final-over two-wicket win that should have been more comfortable than it ultimately was.Pakistan appeared to have complicated a chase that – at the outset – looked especially straightforward. With 12 overs to go, Pakistan needed just 69 with seven wickets in hand and their two most reliable batters, Rizwan and Agha, having compiled a 91-run partnership. But Corbin Bosch, Pakistan’s tormentor-in-chief this series, struck when Rizwan flicked straight to deep backward square, and Pakistan suddenly began to find run-scoring hard.Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan added 91 together•Associated Press

However, they retained wickets as Hussain Talat and Agha kept counting the runs down, albeit a little more conservatively than Pakistan might have wished. The upshot, however, was a run-a-ball 45-run stand that took Pakistan to less than 30 runs away from a series lead. But when Talat misjudged a slower ball and looped one to mid-off, George Linde took a stunning catch diving forward, and threw the ball and the game back up into jeopardy.Linde would come back into the attack, ball turning square by this stage, and send back Hasan Nawaz, who saw fit to come down the crease against the turning ball and attempt a straight slog, already halfway down the crease when he was stumped. Pakistan’s plight became even drearier when, 12 runs shy, Agha holed out to Donovan Ferreira, who covered a huge chunk of the Iqbal Stadium before taking a catch that dismissed Pakistan’s anchor.With the equation suddenly ten in seven, it was thanks to a straight hit from Nawaz down the ground of the final ball of the 49th that brought the game irrevocably in Pakistan’s control. There was time enough for Nawaz to be dismissed with the scores level, with Pakistan limping over the finish line – quite literally – when one thudded into Naseem’s pads as they scuttled through for a legbye. It seemed an apt metaphor for the ultimate unconvincing manner of Pakistan’s win.It needed to be nothing like that, especially with Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub batting. The duo matched South Africa’s opening pair in the venom of their opening stand, finding boundaries and sixes in the first 15 that took them to well beyond the required rate. It was only a half-hour of pressure from South Africa’s spinners, Bjorn Fortuin and Ferreira, that turned a cakewalk into a contest.On ODI debut, Donovan Ferreira dismissed both Pakistan openers•Associated Press

Ferriera struck first with an arm ball that skidded into Ayub as he shaped for a cut. He would double up two overs later as Fakhar mistimed a slog that found long-on before Fortuin struck the dagger into Faisalabad’s hearts. With Babar Azam crawling along to 7, he got one to skid along the angle and trap him plumb in front, both bowler and batter barely waiting for the umpire’s decision.But Pakistan’s stalwarts of late salvaged the situation and steered Pakistan back on course. In their slightly humdrum yet dependable way, Rizwan and Agha kept turning the strike over and taking Pakistan closer to South Africa’s total. Most crucially, they avoided the fate of South Africa in the middle overs, denying the visitors the constant flurry of wickets that had characterised the first innings and hamstrung South Africa.This series has seen six captains across the two sides, and yet, it has been the home skipper who has won the toss each time. After winning their sixth on the trot, Pakistan elected to chase. Through the debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius and the returning Quinton de Kock, the visitors may have given Pakistan reason to regret that decision with a near-flawless start.They took on Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem early and refused to let the spin of Agha or Abrar settle either. Pretorius, who took much of the early impetus, danced down the ground to drive Agha over cover in the innings’ eighth over, while de Kock smashed Abrar over long-off to bring up the 50-run stand.By the end of his first three overs, Agha had leaked 30, and Shaheen was forced to turn to Ayub, and that is where Pakistan began to regain some control. South Africa continued to tick along at a fair clip as Pretorius completed a 48-ball 50, but Pakistan starved him of the strike for the next few overs. Even so, South Africa had got to 98 in the 16th over before Pretorius tried to carve Ayub through the offside, only for Nawaz to complete a sharp catch diving to his weaker right side.For the moment, though, South Africa were not to be slowed down by one bump. Tony de Zorzi made his intentions clear by creaming Nawaz over the top for a six so huge it flew out of Iqbal Stadium and required a replacement ball. De Kock was milking the spinners and getting a boundary away each over, with one through short fine off Ayub, bringing up his own half-century in his comeback ODI.Abrar Ahmed came back well in his later spells•Getty Images

The reintroduction of Naseem would serve as the first real break on South Africa’s careening sled. He’d copped 19 in his first three, but coming around the wicket to the two left-handers, he conceded just one in his return over, and when Ayub kept things tight at the other end, Naseem struck in the following over.It was the free-flowing de Kock who, cramped for room from the angle, chipped onto the stumps as he tried to guide the ball fine. Ayub struck six balls later to extinguish de Zorzi’s innings in its embryonic stages, and the momentum began to shift.South Africa lacked batting heft lower down the order. Sinethemba Qeshile’s back-to-back boundaries off Shaheen broke the shackles, while captain Matthew Breetzke walloped Abrar for a six and a four as South Africa attempted a relaunch. But Nawaz induced a top edge from Qeshile off the first ball of the next over, and from thereon Pakistan began to punch their way through a brittle South Africa.It was the first of five wickets to fall within 37 runs as Pakistan gutted their way through South Africa. Abrar got rid of Breetzke and trapped Fortuin first ball, almost believing he had a hat-trick when the umpire raised his finger for his third delivery in a row, but on that occasion, an inside edge denied him the honour.Bosch shielded Ngidi from the strike and put on a valuable 41 runs at the very end, but the resigned disappointment on South African faces at the ultimate score they’d posted told the real story. Four hours later, it was clear how just a few more runs might have made all the difference.

Lamine Yamal is racing against time as Barcelona build a detailed recovery plan to get him ready for the upcoming Champions League showdown against Chelsea. The 18-year-old has been sidelined by a painful pubalgia issue, forcing him out of Spain duty and limiting his training load. Barca insist they won’t rush him, but optimism is growing after he partially returned to group training this week.

• Yamal targets Chelsea return amid ‘tricky’ injury setback

  According to , Barcelona have set a clear objective for Yamal to recover fully from pubalgia and return in time for the high-stakes Champions League meeting with Chelsea. The 18-year-old winger has been managing significant groin discomfort for weeks, an issue the club describes as “annoying rather than serious,” but one that demanded a complete stop to his activity. His condition forced him to withdraw from Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey, and Barca medical staff feared the injury could worsen if not treated aggressively.

  The club began a two-phase treatment plan beginning November 10, when Yamal underwent invasive radiofrequency therapy. He was instructed to rest between 48 and 72 hours before starting a meticulous rehabilitation schedule with two of Barcelona’s physiotherapists. That programme has already produced visible progress, and Yamal returned to partial group training on Wednesday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, a key step after days of exclusively individual work.

  Inside Barca, the priority is simple, have Yamal match-ready for the Chelsea clash, a fixture that could define the club’s Champions League trajectory. While Saturday’s league meeting with Athletic Club has not been ruled out, any involvement would be minimal. His comeback timeline remains tight, but the club believes seven to ten days is realistic if his recovery continues without setbacks.

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  Doctors warn of months out as external specialist oversees care

  Barcelona’s medical team has been clear with Yamal that this injury is delicate, and mishandling it could lead to months on the sidelines. The pain returned sharply after his recent performance against Celta Vigo, where he scored and assisted but finished the match feeling a familiar discomfort. According to report, the teenager was “worried about the extent of the injury,” prompting Barca to bring in renowned Belgian specialist for an additional evaluation.

  The doctors have reportedly since approved the rehabilitation plan and will return to Barca in the coming days to reassess the winger. Surgery was never considered an option, neither Yamal nor his entourage were willing to entertain it, but both sides agreed that external expertise was essential to managing a condition known for its tendency to linger.

  Describing the injury as “tricky,” club doctors stressed that any shortcut could jeopardise the rest of his season. Their instruction to the player has been blunt to take the rehabilitation seriously, avoid unnecessary media and physical strain, and allow the treatment cycle to stabilise the groin area. Yamal has responded with full commitment, reducing public appearances and focusing exclusively on recovery work.

• Reduced exposure, personal changes & renewed focus

  The physical pain hasn’t been the only challenge for the sensation. The report reveal that the injury lay atop a complex emotional stretch. After El Clasico, the teenager opted to drastically reduce his media presence. His next planned video, he reportedly told his inner circle, “will only be released” if he plays against Chelsea. This shift is part of a broader effort to declutter his environment and cut back distractions during a crucial recovery phase.

  A personal chapter that had introduced moments of tension in recent weeks, has also reportedly been ended. Barcelona believe this renewed focus will benefit him, especially given his relentless ambition. The winger has installed a physiotherapy zone and water-recovery systems in his new home, determined to refine every detail of his professional routine. Those around him insist his drive “to be number one” remains unchanged.

  Even during the painful months since September’s international break, Yamal continued delivering decisive moments. He scored in league victories over Elche and Celta Vigo and had a goal and an assist in the Champions League draw against Club Brugge.

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  Barca’s UCL stakes and why Chelsea is the priority

  Barcelona’s urgency stems from the club’s precarious Champions League position. With only two wins from four league-phase matches, the Catalans sit 11th, behind clubs like Tottenham and Galatasaray, and are fighting to secure a top-eight finish needed for a direct round of 16 berth. The tie against Chelsea has therefore become vital, both for points and momentum.

  For Hansi Flick Yamal’s presence could be decisive, particularly with the team still adjusting to the reopened Camp Nou atmosphere after two and a half years away. While a cameo against Athletic Bilbao remains possible, Flick’s staff have made clear that no risk will be taken if any discomfort persists.

  Barca want Yamal at full throttle for Chelsea, and Yamal is expected to continue alternating between individual work and controlled group sessions over the next four days as Barcelona monitor his response to load increases.

  For Barcelona, the next week is critical and as they return to Camp Nou against Athletic Club before travelling to London for a match that may shape their European future.

Glasgow Rangers decided to splash the cash in the summer transfer window to sign Youssef Chermiti from Everton for a fee of £8m, their most expensive signing since Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

The Portugal U21 international has scored one goal, which was aided by some fairly dismal goalkeeping, in 11 appearances in all competitions for the Gers so far, per Sofascore.

Michael Stewart criticised his “poor” finishing in the League Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic on Sunday, as he spurned two great chances, whilst Ally McCoist said that he was “showing nothing” up front against Brann in the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Hearts, who are top of the Scottish Premiership, reportedly paid a fee of around £400k to sign Claudio Braga, who has been far more impressive.

Why Rangers need to find their own Claudio Braga

Instead of splashing huge money on project players, like Chermiti, Rangers should be looking at bargain options to bolster their squad, because you can find some real gems.

Hearts paid less than a million pounds to sign Braga from the second division of Norwegian football, and he has been a huge success for the Jam Tarts.

The Portuguese attacker has delivered nine goals and one assist in 16 appearances in all competitions for Hearts, per Sofascore, this season, which shows that he has provided far more quality than Chermiti has since his £8m move to Ibrox.

Whilst Rangers can learn from the Jam Tarts to utilise different markets for cheaper prices in future transfer windows, Danny Rohl may have his own version of Braga, from a stylistic perspective, in the building.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Rangers can unearth their own Claudio Braga with this forgotten star

Before Rohl’s arrival at Ibrox, Brazilian centre-forward Danilo appeared to be forgotten about by Martin as a genuine first-team option for the Scottish manager.

The striker only made one appearance for the first-team under Martin in September and October, which was an 11-minute cameo off the bench against Sturm Graz.

Celtic

Danny Rohl

45

Hibernian

Danny Rohl

45

Kilmarnock

Danny Rohl

69

Brann

Danny Rohl

14

Sturm Graz

Russell Martin

11

Genk

Russell Martin

0

Hibernian

Russell Martin

0

Hearts

Russell Martin

0

Celtic

Russell Martin

0

Club Brugge

Russell Martin

59

As you can see in the table above, he was an unused substitute on several occasions, when he even made the matchday squad, before Martin’s exit in October.

Rohl came in last month and immediately made the Brazilian striker an option, as he has played in all four of the manager’s games so far, and scored two goals.

Like Braga, Danilo is not a towering and physical striker who can bully opposition defenders. He is dynamic and looks to use his control and movement to create chances and score goals, as he did brilliantly against Hibernian.

For Hearts, Braga has struck up a partnership with Lawrence Shankland, who is a physical presence, and Rohl can unearth his own version of that partnership by continuing to play Danilo off another striker, whether that is Chermiti or Bojan Miovski.

Danilo, who ex-teammate Ofir Marciano claimed “has the quality to be a big player for Rangers”, scoring two goals in two Premiership matches under Rohl shows that he can be effective in the final third.

However, it is now down to the manager to find the right blend alongside him to ensure that his skillset is used to its fullest potential, as Hearts have done with Braga by playing him alongside Shankland.

Martin claimed Rangers star was a "huge asset", now he looks "rotten"

This Rangers signing was heavily praised by Russell Martin, now it looks like he needs to be sold.

ByDan Emery Nov 3, 2025

Once forgotten by Martin at Ibrox, the former Feyenoord centre-forward looks like he might have a bright future under the German head coach.