European football and tennis delivered major headlines on Sunday, with Norway sealing a historic World Cup qualification and Jannik Sinner closing out his season by retaining the ATP Finals title in Turin.
The results come at a decisive point in the sporting calendar, with Europe’s football qualifiers nearing completion and the tennis season drawing to a close. Both developments highlight shifting dynamics across their respective sports, as emerging contenders continue to challenge traditional powers.
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Here’s what you need to know went down during the two games.
Norway seals 2026 World Cup qualification as Italy drops into playoffs
Norway qualified directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Italy 4-1 in their final European qualifier yesterday, completing a perfect campaign and forcing the four-time champions into the playoff route.
Italy took an early lead through Francesco Pio Esposito, but Norway responded with a composed second-half performance. Antonio Nusa equalised before Erling Haaland scored twice, lifting his qualifying tally to 16 goals. Jørgen Strand Larsen added a late fourth.
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“To be here together in this moment means everything,” Captain Martin Ødegaard told reporters. Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso apologised to supporters, acknowledging that the team was “really good” in the first half. He told Rai Sport, “We were a real team, but the biggest disappointment is that the second half was not up to those standards.”
The result marks one of the most significant shifts of the European qualifying cycle, leaving Italy with a must-win playoff in March.
Sinner retains ATP Finals crown after win over Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner successfully defended his ATP Finals title, defeating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (4), 7-5 before a packed home crowd at the Inalpi Arena.
Sinner held firm during a highly competitive opening set and raised his level late in the second to secure victory. The result extends his indoor winning streak to 31 matches and concludes a standout season in which he reached all four Grand Slam finals, winning in Melbourne and at Wimbledon.
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Alcaraz, who ends the year as world No. 1, pushed Sinner throughout but appeared slightly hampered by a leg issue in the closing stages.
Sinner becomes only the third player in the Open Era to win multiple ATP Finals titles on home soil, joining Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl and Ilie Nastase.
