Premier League Finale, French Open, F1 Canada: Weekend Sports Roundup

Daniel Gallan begins early buildup to Saturday’s football action. The Premier League concludes Sunday, but Saturday features the Championship playoff final at Wembley as Hull and Middlesbrough compete for the estimated £200 million prize of promotion to the Premier League. In Scotland, newly crowned champions Celtic seek a domestic double in the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic. The German Cup final also takes place, with Bayern Munich chasing more silverware against Stuttgart at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The Women’s Champions League final in Oslo pits Barcelona against Olympique Lyonnais, following the Women’s Super League playoff between Charlton and Leicester at lunchtime. Readers can join the conversation by emailing matchday.live@theguardian.com.

England secured a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in their opening Twenty20 international, with 21-year-old Alice Capsey playing a pivotal role. Opening the batting for the hosts in Derby, Capsey spearheaded England’s chase of 137 with an unbeaten 74 from 51 balls. After drawing the one-day international series 1-1, the three-match T20 series continues at sunny Canterbury. Tanya Aldred provides over-by-over coverage while reporter Raf Nicholson dons sunglasses and a floppy sun hat at the St Lawrence Ground.

Saturday’s Scottish Cup final features a reunion of Neil Lennon and Martin O’Neill. Pars manager Lennon, a former Celtic boss, played under O’Neill at Leicester and Celtic, describing him as “the biggest influence on his career by a long way.” The pair go head-to-head at Hampden Park. Lennon’s Championship side knocked out three Premiership teams en route to the final, and the 54-year-old was in bullish mood this week, saying: “I wouldn’t dismiss us. We’re the underdogs, but underdogs bite.” Barry Glendenning hosts the blog with Ewan Murray reporting.

The richest game in world football has been overshadowed by Southampton’s “spygate” saga. The Saints were ejected from the Championship playoffs this week after admitting to spying on opponents’ training sessions, with beaten semi-finalists Middlesbrough reinstated. Boro accused Southampton of snooping before the first leg of their playoff semifinal earlier this month. A photograph emerged of a man standing behind a tree, apparently recording images on his phone. The toll of the scandal may become clear Saturday at an unprecedented playoff final. Scott Murray hosts the blog, with reporters Ben Bloom and Jonathan Wilson at Wembley shedding their wigs and false moustaches.

This marks the fourth time in eight seasons that Barcelona and Lyon meet for the European title. In the competition’s new format, they tied on points atop the 18-team standings in December and remain unbeaten in domestic competitions, both chasing a quadruple. Barcelona reaches its sixth straight final — seventh in eight years — in an era shaped by Aitana Bonmatí and Alèxia Putellas. Lyon returns with Wendie Renard and Ada Hegerberg, the captain and hat-trick scorer, respectively, when Barcelona lost 4-1 in the 2019 final. An extra layer of intrigue lies in the dugouts: Lyon coach Jonatan Giráldez won back-to-back Champions League titles at Barcelona when current Catalan club coach Pere Romeu was among his assistants. Will Unwin liveblogs the final, with Suzanne Wrack reporting.

Victory in the last race in Miami gave Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli a commanding 20-point lead in the standings after four races. The 19-year-old Italian has won three consecutive Grands Prix. His teammate George Russell must now find a path back to the front at the Canadian Grand Prix after missing the podium in Florida. Canada offers a chance for a big points swing, with the sprint race adding a maximum eight points. Antonelli’s lead grew in Miami because McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull brought upgrades that helped them fight for podium places; now Mercedes brings upgraded parts for the car that has won all four Grands Prix in 2026 so far. Philip Cornwall liveblogs the sprint race and qualifying, with Giles Richards reporting.

Cameron Ponsonby picks up the blog baton as the Premier League concludes a compelling season. Ten games kick off at 4 p.m., with Tottenham and West Ham fans nervously awaiting the fate of their relegation-threatened clubs. At Wembley, Stockport and Bolton contest the League One playoff final. The blog includes the regular mix of breaking news, updates from around the grounds, and readers’ thoughts and queries.

Coco Gauff is finding form at precisely the right time for her French Open title defense. With Aryna Sabalenka hampered by injury and things not clicking for Iga Swiatek, the American has a golden opportunity to claim a third Grand Slam. After dealing with illness and a fourth-round loss in Madrid, Gauff bounced back to reach the Italian Open final where she met an inspired Elina Svitolina. Despite leaving Rome without the trophy, the 22-year-old American took heart from her performance and said it would stand her in good stead when the French Open begins Sunday. Her first assignment is against fellow American Taylor Townsend. Daniel Harris has the latest at the helm of the rolling blog, with Tumaini Carayol reporting from Roland Garros.

Stockport County seeks to reach the second tier for the first time since 2002, just four years after promotion from the National League. Bolton Wanderers, meanwhile, are old hands at playoff finals, with this being the sixth time they have reached the EFL playoff finals across the Championship and League One. However, both of their attempts at promotion from the third tier ended in defeat — 1-0 to Tranmere in 1991 and 2-0 to Oxford in 2024. Emillia Hawkins buckles up as blog host, with Billy Munday reporting.

Tottenham’s relegation battle has gone to the wire after a 2-1 loss at Chelsea on Tuesday left them only two points above 18th-placed West Ham. The pressure is on the Hammers, who must beat Leeds and need Tottenham to lose at home. Everton has collected more points away than at home this season, and Spurs have won only once at home in the league since the opening weekend — hardly boding well for Roberto De Zerbi’s faltering side. Spurs, an ever-present in the Premier League since the first division was rebranded in 1992, last played in the second tier in the 1977-78 season. Scott Murray provides a steady hand on the live blog tiller, with David Hytner and Jonathan Wilson reporting from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Emotions are sure to run high on the final day of a season that saw Arsenal clinch their first title since 2004 on Tuesday. Plenty of narratives unfold as all 10 games are played concurrently. Beyond the relegation tussle involving Spurs and West Ham, farewells await for Mohamed Salah, Bernardo Silva and Pep Guardiola. Salah will want a big send-off in his final game against Brentford at Anfield, but Arne Slot could be forgiven for dropping the striker after his latest outburst. Fifth-placed Liverpool need a point to guarantee Champions League qualification; Bournemouth, facing Nottingham Forest, trail by three points with an inferior goal difference of six. Guardiola leaves Manchester City after 10 glorious years, with strong sentiments expected at the Etihad for City’s home match against Aston Villa, the newly crowned Europa League champions. Simon Burnton has all the storylines at the helm of the rolling blog.

Antonelli joins an exclusive club: every driver who has won four or more consecutive Grands Prix has been an F1 champion at some point in their career. History offers some encouragement to teammate George Russell, however. The only time a driver won four straight races in a season but not the title came in 2016 when Lewis Hamilton was beaten by his then-Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. More recently, Oscar Piastri won three in a row for McLaren last year and still lost to teammate Lando Norris. Heavy weather is forecast for Sunday’s race, promising thrills and spills as Alexander Abnos helms the lap-by-lap blog.