October 2, 2026 — Sports

A game-worn Michael Jordan jersey from the Chicago Bulls’ celebrated 1998 championship season has sold for $12.3 million (£9.3 million), setting a new auction record for Jordan memorabilia.

The jersey was worn by Jordan during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals, when the Bulls faced the Utah Jazz during what became known as Jordan’s “Last Dance” season.

The sale was conducted through Joopiter, the digital auction platform founded by Pharrell Williams. Entrepreneur Ryan Gough had put the jersey on the market, with Joopiter estimating before the auction that it could fetch between $10 million and $15 million.

Image: Michael Jordan in his Chicago Bulls jersey during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals against Utah Jazz. Image title: “Michael Jordan in Action During the 1998 NBA Finals” Caption: Jordan wore the jersey during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals, part of his final championship season with the Chicago Bulls.

A record for Jordan memorabilia

The final price surpassed the previous record for a piece of Jordan memorabilia: $10.091 million, paid in 2022 for the jersey he wore during Game 1 of the same 1998 NBA Finals.

Jordan and the Bulls eventually defeated the Jazz 4-2 in the Finals, giving the superstar his sixth NBA championship. He was also named Finals MVP, as he had been for each of his six championship-winning series.

The 1997-98 campaign was Jordan’s final season with the Bulls and became one of the defining chapters of his career. The team won its second three-peat before Jordan retired from the NBA for a second time.

Image: Clear photograph of the actual red Chicago Bulls No. 23 jersey. Image title: “The £9.3m ‘Last Dance’ Jersey” Caption: The game-worn jersey has become the most expensive piece of Michael Jordan memorabilia sold at auction.

More than a jersey

The auction reflects the continued demand for memorabilia connected to Jordan’s final championship season with Chicago.

Joopiter described the Game 3 jersey as a particularly significant piece of sporting history, pointing to its connection with the end of the Bulls’ championship era and Jordan’s influence on basketball’s global popularity.

Another Jordan collectible was also sold alongside the jersey. His 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello reportedly fetched about $2.7 million (£2 million), around four times the previous auction record for that model.

Image: Jordan celebrating with the Bulls during the 1998 championship run. Image title: “The Final Championship Era” Caption: Jordan led Chicago to its sixth NBA championship during the 1997-98 season.

It is not the overall sports-memorabilia record

Despite the enormous price, Jordan’s jersey does not hold the record for the most expensive game-worn sports item.

That distinction remains with Babe Ruth’s 1932 World Series jersey, which sold for $24.12 million (£18.2 million) in 2024.

For Jordan collectors, however, the latest sale establishes a new benchmark for memorabilia associated with one of the most significant seasons of his career.

London, October 2, 2026 — Downing Street has stressed that Manchester City is not “above the rules” after Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced criticism over comments about the club’s owners following a major Premier League financial-rules ruling.

The clarification came after Burnham said he would be “really concerned” if Manchester City’s current owners decided to sell the club. He praised the City Football Group for its investment in Manchester and the development of the Etihad Stadium and surrounding campus.

The prime minister also said he did not intend to interfere in the independent disciplinary process and argued that it would be wrong to reach a conclusion while Manchester City contests the findings.

Downing Street clarifies position

Following criticism of Burnham’s comments, a No 10 spokesperson said the initial judgment against Manchester City was serious and that there could be no suggestion that anyone was above the rules.

The government also stressed that the process remains independent and should be allowed to run its course. Downing Street said that where wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face appropriate consequences.

The clarification came after opposition politicians questioned whether Burnham’s comments could be interpreted as political support for City’s ownership.

Shadow sports minister Louie French called for politics to be kept out of football and said the Premier League’s independent process should be allowed to operate without outside influence.

What Manchester City were found guilty of

The controversy comes days after an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of most of the 115 charges brought against the club concerning Premier League financial rules covering the period from 2009 to 2018.

The Premier League said the commission found that City had arranged commercial agreements that were designed to disguise funding, with the findings referring to more than £830 million in secret funding. Manchester City has denied wrongdoing and has indicated that it will appeal the decision.

The commission’s sanctions will be considered separately. Potential penalties under the Premier League’s rules include financial penalties and sporting sanctions, although the eventual outcome remains subject to the continuing process and City’s appeal.

City expected to appeal

Manchester City has maintained that the commission’s conclusions contain significant errors and that the club has evidence supporting its position.

According to reports, part of the expected appeal could focus on the club’s argument that important sponsorship payments came from the Abu Dhabi government rather than directly from its ownership.

The Independent Football Regulator is also monitoring developments. Its chairman has said the regulator has powers concerning the suitability of owners, directors and executives, while emphasizing that proceedings surrounding the Premier League case remain ongoing.

HMRC questions also emerge

The case has also attracted parliamentary interest beyond football. Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the House of Commons Treasury Committee, has written to HMRC seeking reassurance that it is considering the potential tax implications of the findings.

For now, the dispute remains centred on Manchester City’s appeal and the separate disciplinary process that will determine any sanctions. The government’s latest statement is intended to underline that the football authorities’ process remains independent of political considerations.

October 2, 2026 | Football

Lionel Messi has expanded his involvement in Spanish football by completing the acquisition of CD Eldense, making the Spanish second-tier club his second football investment in the country this year.

The announcement was made by Eldense on October 1, with the club describing the takeover as the beginning of a new chapter in its more than 100-year history. The transaction remains subject to the required authorisation from Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD).

From Barcelona star to club owner

The acquisition adds another dimension to Messi’s relationship with Spanish football. The Argentine spent the majority of his European playing career at Barcelona before moving to Paris Saint-Germain and later Inter Miami.

In April 2026, Messi acquired Spanish lower-league club UE Cornellà, which competes several levels below Eldense. The purchase of Eldense therefore represents his move into ownership of a professional club competing in Spain’s second division.

Messi agreed to acquire the shares held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., which had been Eldense’s majority shareholder. Financial details of the transaction have not been publicly disclosed.

Eldense enters a new era

Founded in 1921, CD Eldense is based in Elda in Spain’s Alicante province. The club has described Messi’s arrival as part of a long-term project aimed at developing its sporting, institutional and social structures.

The club said the objective is to strengthen its position in professional football while maintaining its local identity and connection with supporters.

Eldense currently competes in LaLiga Hypermotion, Spain’s second tier. Its opening seven league matches of the 2026–27 campaign produced one victory, two draws and four defeats, leaving the club in 19th position in the 22-team division at the time of the announcement.

Regulatory approval still required

Although Eldense has officially announced Messi as its new owner, the transaction is not completely free of regulatory requirements.

The club stated that the acquisition remains subject to the mandatory authorisation of Spain’s Higher Sports Council under the country’s Sports Law. The regulatory issue is particularly relevant because Messi already owns another Spanish football club, Cornellà.

For now, the takeover gives Messi a growing presence in Spanish club football, with interests spanning both the professional and lower tiers of the country’s football pyramid.

What comes next for Eldense?

The immediate focus will be on the club’s sporting campaign and the implementation of the new ownership’s plans.

Eldense has said its new project is intended to promote long-term sporting, institutional and social development. The club’s next scheduled league fixture is against Real Oviedo on October 2 at the Nuevo Pepico Amat.

Messi’s second Spanish club investment therefore begins with a mixture of new ownership ambitions, regulatory requirements and the challenge of competing in Spain’s second division.

Accra, Ghana — October 2, 2026

Yaw Ampofo Ankrah is no longer serving as Director-General of Ghana’s National Sports Authority (NSA), following a government decision that comes as an investigation continues into allegations surrounding an alleged visa facilitation arrangement linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Reports on October 1 said President John Dramani Mahama had asked Ampofo Ankrah to step aside. The Ghana News Agency subsequently reported that he had been relieved of his duties, while MyJoyOnline described the decision as a suspension.

Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has been appointed Acting Director-General of the NSA. He is an Associate Professor of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Education, Winneba.

Visa allegations trigger investigation

The leadership change comes against the backdrop of allegations concerning payments reportedly collected from people seeking assistance with travel and visa arrangements connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to reports, the amount involved was approximately US$623,000, while some prospective travellers were allegedly charged as much as US$8,000.

The allegations prompted an investigation by Ghanaian law-enforcement authorities, with Ampofo Ankrah and others connected to the matter reportedly questioned by investigators. Ampofo Ankrah has denied the allegations.

The allegations remain allegations and have not, by themselves, established criminal wrongdoing.

NSA denies authorising visa operation

The National Sports Authority has rejected suggestions that it officially operated or authorised a visa facilitation service for people travelling to the World Cup.

In a statement reported by the Ghana News Agency, the NSA said its legal team was cooperating with the police investigation and maintained that the authority had not authorised the collection of money for visa-related services.

The authority’s position is significant because one of the central questions in the investigation is whether any official NSA structure or personnel authorised or participated in the alleged arrangement.

Ampofo Ankrah maintains his position

Ampofo Ankrah has previously denied knowledge of an arrangement involving the collection of money from prospective World Cup travellers.

Following his removal, he also spoke publicly about the decision, saying he was disappointed that he had not been given an opportunity to fully explain his side of the matter.

His lawyer has separately disputed reports that the case is being handled by the Bureau of National Investigations, saying the matter is being investigated by the Economic Crime Unit at Ghana Police Service Headquarters.

New leadership takes over

Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong now assumes the acting leadership of the NSA as the authority faces questions over its administration and the handling of the visa-related allegations.

The change also follows President Mahama’s earlier decision in September to dissolve the NSA’s governing board. GNA reported that a new board is expected to be constituted.

For the moment, the focus remains on the ongoing investigation and the questions surrounding the alleged payments, who received them, what services were promised, and whether any public institution or officials were involved.

The investigation will ultimately have to establish the facts behind the allegations.