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Birmingham has been named as host city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games - the most expensive sports event to be held in Britain since the London Olympics. The city's was the only bid submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) by the deadline of 30 September, after it was chosen ahead of Liverpool as Britain's candidate. The CGF initially deemed the city's bid was "not fully compliant". However, it has now been confirmed as the host of the £750m event. Birmingham mayor Andy Street described the announcement as a "fantastic Christmas present for our region". The bidding process has been beset with problems, with the South African city of Durban awarded the Games in 2015 before being stripped of the event because it did not meet the CGF criteria. After Birmingham's bid was initially deemed to not meet the necessary criteria, previously interested cities such as Victoria in Canada and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia were given another two months to a

Cristiano Ronaldo broke another Champions League record as holders Real Madrid thrashed Apoel Nicosia to qualify for the last 16. Ronaldo scored twice in the second half to take his tally to 18 Champions League goals in 2017 - the most in a calendar year. Real have been on a poor run but were dominant as they picked up their biggest away win in the competition. Real will face a group winner in the last 16 as Tottenham won Group H. Spurs' 2-1 win in Dortmund means Mauricio Pochettino's side have wrapped up the group with a game to spare. Zinedine Zidane has won the Champions League in each of his two seasons in charge at Real but his side fell 10 points behind Barcelona in La Liga at the weekend. A 3-1 defeat by Spurs at Wembley last time out meant they needed to win in Cyprus to qualify, but that was a formality from the moment Luka Modric volleyed in from 25 yards. Karim Benzema had scored only twice all season but doubled that tally with two neat finishes inside the area, w

Coach Gernot Rohr has warned against another pay strike at the World Cup if the country hoped to improve on their previous outings at the global tournament. At the 2014 World Cup, the Super Eagles skipped a training to protest the non-payment of bonus for qualifying for the tournament forcing the country’s sports minister to fly out by private jet to pay them almost $4 million cash in Brazil. Rohr said he believes the three-time African champions can improve on their best World Cup performance of a Round of 16 by better and early preparation as well as ensuring money issues are sorted out well in advance. Nigeria will be paid a total of $12.5 million by FIFA for qualifying for Russia 2018 with $2.5 million of this amount paid for the Eagles to prepare adequately for the football showpiece. They will earn more cash should they reach the knockout rounds of the tournament as they have done in 1994 and 2014.  Nigeria have so far used a total of 37 players for the qualifying tournament fo

Could Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo not be in Russia? We look at the players who could potentially miss the 2018 World Cup. With qualifying campaigns reaching a conclusion across the six international confederations, the identities of the 32 competing teams are starting to become clear. England became one of 10 teams to have already booked their place in Russia with their 1-0 win over Slovenia on Thursday night, but others will not be so lucky. There are some big teams and big players who could yet miss out on next summer's showpiece event - and some whose fates have already been sealed. Here, we put together an XI of players who could miss the Russia showpiece... Goalkeeper - Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)   There is a risk that Italy and their World Cup-winning goalkeeper Buffon will not make it. They are currently three points behind Spain in Group G and face the prospect of a risky play-off against another second-placed team, potentially Portugal or even France. Left-back - D

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says he will not reapply for a licence to fight from the British Boxing Board of Control. The 29-year-old had his licence revoked in October 2016 after allegations of doping emerged in June of that year. Fury, who hinted at a comeback in March, tweeted: "After thinking long and hard about my return, I will not be applying for a BBBofC boxing license." "After the way they have handled stuff, no thanks." His decision not to seek a new licence casts Fury's future as a boxer into doubt again, although he has previously appeared to end his career via social media. In October 2016 he tweeted: "I'm the greatest, and I'm also retired" before performing a u-turn three hours later. But he has not fought since November 2015, when he shocked Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf to claim the IBF, WBO and WBA world titles. Fury pulled out of one rematch scheduled for July 2016 with an ankle injury, before withdrawin

The former two-weight world champion feels 'AJ' is a more "complete fighter", but acknowledges that the Briton has to get through his WBA 'super' and IBF heavyweight title defence against Kubrat Pulev on October 28, live on Sky Sports Box Office , before a potential blockbuster with the American can be discussed. "I do think Joshua does has the edge," Holyfield said on BoxingScene.com. "Because he's the more complete fighter, but it all depends upon how they fight on the night. You are only as good as your last fight." Wilder is due to return to the ring in New York, on November 4, but a reported failed drugs test by Luis Ortiz has put the bout in doubt. The 'Bronze Bomber' has made five successful defences of the WBC title he won in 2015, but Holyfield suggests that Joshua gained more from his sensational knockout victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in April, than Wilder has done in his