https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKA1zCwcYBE

The Oceanian section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process is expected to take place from September 2024 to March 2025. The 2026 tournament is the 16th edition of Oceanian qualifiers and marks the first time OFC has a direct qualification slot into the FIFA World Cup.

The qualification structure is as follows:

First round: The four lowest-ranked teams in the FIFA Men's World Rankings will play a three-match knockout round in September 2024. The winner will advance to the second round.

Second round: The winning team from the first round will join the seven highest-ranked teams in two four-team groups in October and November 2024. The top two teams from each group will advance to the third round.

Third round: The four teams advancing from the second round will play a three-match knockout round in March 2025 with the winner qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and the runner-up advancing to the inter-confederation play-offs.

1912

All 11 OFC members affiliated with FIFA are expected to enter qualification.

Me singing payphone

England coach Brendon McCullum has held talks with leading wicket-taker James Anderson about the veteran bowler's future.

McCullum told Anderson, who turns 42 in July, that England are looking to build a bowling attack for the future.

It is not clear whether Anderson has played his last Test or if he will get a farewell this summer.

Anderson has taken 700 wickets in 187 Tests - the most by any pace bowler in Test history.

He played four of England’s five Tests in India last winter, taking 10 wickets.

England do not play a Test until July when they begin a three-match series against West Indies. That is followed by another three Tests against Sri Lanka in August and September.

The Sri Lanka series begins at Emirates Old Trafford, Anderson’s home ground.

As first reported in the Guardian, external, McCullum and Anderson discussed the bowler’s future over a round of golf.

Anderson made his Test debut in 2003 and his 187 caps are also an England record.

He is second on the all-time list of Test appearances behind only Sachin Tendulkar, who played 200 times in the longest format for India.

The Lancastrian also played 194 one-day internationals and 19 T20s for England but has focused solely on Test cricket since 2015 and has become a great of the game.

In 2018, he passed Australia quick Glenn McGrath to become the leading wicket-taker among fast bowlers.

His 700th wicket came in the fifth Test against India in Dharamshala in March after which he said he was "not getting any worse" and wanted to earn his place in England's side in the summer.

After this summer England play Test series in New Zealand and Pakistan before a home series against India in 2025 and an Ashes in Australia the following winter.

Anderson struggled during the 2023 Ashes in England, taking only five wickets in four matches.

His long-time bowling partner Stuart Broad, England's second most successful bowler, retired after the dramatic finale of that series.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that it will "take time" for people to "really feel better" as figures revealed the UK had emerged from recession.

Novak Djokovic was hit on the head by a water bottle as he signed autographs after his win at the Italian Open.

A video on social media showed world number one Djokovic falling to the floor after being hit by the object, which came from the stands.

Tournament organisers said the hard bottle had fallen out of the bag of someone in the crowd.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion stayed on the ground for a while before being helped out of the arena in Rome by security.

"This is not being treated as a deliberate act, but as an accident," said tournament organisers in statement reported by PA.

"A boy was calling out to get an autograph and the bottle fell out of his bag.

"Novak has undergone the necessary checks and has already left to return to his hotel. His condition is not a cause for concern."

A further video was posted that seemed to show a fan leaning over to get an autograph, with the bottle slipping out of his rucksack.

The incident happened as Djokovic approached supporters in the stands following his 6-3 6-1 win over France's Corentin Moutet.

He was signing a sheet of paper for a fan when the water bottle struck him on the top of the head.

Djokovic is due to play Chile's Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday in the next round.

Donny lost

Crewe Alexandra overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Doncaster Rovers on penalties and secure a place in the League Two play-off final.

Goalkeeper Max Stryjek, only at the club on an emergency loan from Wycombe, was the hero as he saved penalties from Zain Westbrooke and Hakeeb Adelakun to secure a 4-3 shootout win.

Crewe, who ended the season with just one win from their final nine league games, have become just the fourth team in play-off history to come back from losing the first leg of a semi-final by two goals at home and still make the final.

Mickey Demetriou rose highest at the back post to head home Joel Tabiner's corner and James Maxwell bundled Chris Long's low cross into his own net to level the aggregate score after just 16 minutes and leave the home fans stunned.

Rovers improved as the game wore on and Richard Wood headed just wide from a Hakeeb Adelakun centre - and Crewe somehow managed to get the ball clear following a goalmouth scramble, as the hosts came close to what would have been a tie-winning goal in the 90 minutes.

Luke Molyneux saw a fierce effort turned on to the post by Stryjek in the first half of extra time but, with both teams looking exhausted, there were no more chances of note.

Doncaster looked to have the advantage when Thimothee Lo-Tutala saved Mickey Demetriou's second penalty for the away side but Stryjek saved Westbrooke's effort in the next kick and, after all the rest were scored, Adelakun was denied by the keeper.

Crewe will now play the winner of MK Dons and Crawley, who meet again on Saturday with the Red Devils 3-0 up from the first leg, at Wembley on Sunday, 19 May.

Hopefully promotion for Donny next season.

They got so close this season after being so far, I am very disappointed for them.

After being near the relegation zone in February, it has been a great achievement for Donny to get into the play-offs.

The oldest survivor of progeria, a rapid aging disease, is Tiffany Wedekind of Columbus, Ohio, who is 45 years old as of 2023.

The Dutch artist Joost Klein has been disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest after a backstage incident.

The performer has been sent home after an allegation of intimidation was made to Swedish police by a female member of the production crew.

In a statement, the contest organisers said "it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the contest" while the legal process takes place.

Dutch broadcaster Avrtotros called Klein's exclusion "disproportionate".

In a statement on social media, the company said it was "shocked by the decision" and would "come back to this later".

Klein had been among the favourites to win this year's contest with his song, Europapa.

A pro-Europe techno anthem, it was dedicated to his father, who he lost to cancer aged 12.

Now 26, the singer had promised his father he would one day make it to the Eurovision stage.

News of his suspension emerged on Friday afternoon, during the first dress rehearsal for Saturday's televised grand final.

Klein's props were being set up on stage inside the Malmö Arena when a production manager indicated they should be removed.

His song was then skipped without explanation, and Israel's entrant Eden Golan, who was next in the running order, took his place.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the event, later issued a statement saying they were "investigating an incident that was reported to us involving the Dutch artist".

England bowler James Anderson has confirmed he will retire from Test cricket this summer.

The 41-year-old, England's leading wicket-taker and one of the greatest bowlers of all time, said the first Test against West Indies at Lord's on 10 July will be his last.

The decision comes after Anderson held talks with Test coach Brendon McCullum, who wants to build a bowling attack for the future.

"I'm going to miss walking out for England so much," Anderson said in a statement.

"But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to, because there is no greater feeling."

Anderson made his debut in 2003 and has taken 700 wickets in 187 Tests - the most by any pace bowler in Test history.

He is third on the all-time list of wicket-takers in Tests behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australia's Shane Warne.

Anderson was due to play two matches for Lancashire in June but it is now unclear whether he will play for his county again.

"It has been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I've loved since I was a kid," Anderson said.

"I'm excited for the new challenges that lie ahead, as well as filling my days with even more golf.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it's always meant a lot, even if my face often doesn't show it."

Richard Thompson, the chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said English cricket owes Anderson a "send-off like no other".

"I don't think we'll ever see a bowler to match Jimmy again," he said. "It has been an honour as an England fan to watch him, and to marvel at his skill with the ball.

"To still be bowling at the top of his game at 41 is remarkable, and he is a true inspiration and role model for peers and younger generations alike."

The Eurovision Song Contest has seen a chaotic build-up towards Saturday's grand final.

The Dutch entry has been disqualified, another has withdrawn from rehearsals and a third has broken rules with an on-stage speech, calling for peace.

The drama is unfolding minute by minute against a backdrop of protests over Israel's participation in the show.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian marchers have gathered in Malmö, Sweden, where the contest is being held on Saturday.

Some chanted "Eurovision, united by genocide," reflecting the strength of feeling over the humanitarian toll of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which was triggered by the deadly Hamas attacks last October.

Eurovision, which has always billed itself as non-political, has resisted calls for Israel to be excluded from the contest.

However, they did demand that the country's performer, Eden Golan, change the lyrics of her entry, titled Hurricane, to remove references to the 7 October attack.

Golan, who is just 20 years old, is under armed guard as she prepares to sing at the contest, with heightened security throughout the host city.

Several other competitors have stressed their opposition to the Israel-Gaza war, although none have pulled out - choosing to abide by Eurovision's slogan, "united by music".

However, French contestant Slimane broke with protocol during the final dress rehearsal on Saturday afternoon, by interrupting his song to make an impassioned speech.

"Everybody, I just need to say something," he told the audience. "Every artist here want[s] to sing about love and sing about peace. We need to be united by music, yes, but with love for peace.

"United by music, yes, but with love for peace," he repeated. "Thank you so much. Thank you Europe."

The statement itself may have broken Eurovision's rules on making political statements.

The BBC has contacted the EBU, which organises the contest, to ascertain whether Slimane could be sanctioned.

Swiss singer Nemo has won the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, with their song The Code.

A compelling hybrid of opera and hip-hop, it topped the jury vote, helping the 24-year-old gain an impressive score of 591 points.

The singer becomes the first non-binary artist to win Eurovision. Fittingly, they wrote the song to explain how they came to terms with their identity.

Croatia, which led the public vote, came second with the raucous party anthem Rim Tim Tagi Dim, while the UK's Olly Alexander was consigned to 18th place, out of 25.

The Years and Years singer received the dreaded "nul points" from the public, but was saved from last place by the jury vote.

They awarded his song, Dizzy, 46 points.

This year's contest was overshadowed by protests over Israel's participation, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel's entrant, the 20-year-old singer Eden Golan, who received a mixture of boos and cheers as she performed on stage in Malmö, came fifth.

In their victory speech on stage, Nemo said: "I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in this world."

They later broke the contest's infamous crystal microphone trophy, which appeared to fall to the stage as they waved it around in triumph.

Originally, a lifeboat drill was scheduled to take place on board the Titanic on April 14, 1912 - the day the Titanic hit the iceberg. However, for an unknown reason, Captain Smith canceled the drill.