The top three haven't changed (it's a family shut-out!), but they weren't the teams scoring the highest points this week. That accolade goes to Brian, who moved up four places to 5th - all achieved without any of his beloved Hull players. He obviously knows their current success will be short-lived! Sandra was the second highest scorer, but that wasn't enough to lift her out of 15th.

Up one place apiece were Kevin into 4th; Simon up to 9th, Mick up to 11th and Dan up to share 12th with Oliver who dropped a place. Also going in the wrong direct were Joe, down three to 7th, Karen, down one to 8th, and Chris, down two to 10th. Jon didn't move in 6th; neither did Jenni in 14th.

Just look at the Premier League table. The usual reshuffle of places at the beginning of the season is evident as teams find their feet, new players arrive and familiar faces disappear. The more some things change, the more others stay the same. After all, can you believe Hull are sitting in third, and a week ago Brighton were top? The sameness is confirmed by the fact that Man City and Arsenal are already at the top and, dare I say, Spurs are at the bottom!!

Quickly moving on .... the traditional scramble for places affects fantasy teams as well - although you might just spot one similarity with the end of last season! Last week's leader Jon dropped back five places, while Joe has improved by the same number and moved up to 4th. Also on the way up are Chris (8th), Simon (10th) and Oliver (11th) while Karen (7th), Brian (9th) and Mick (12th) fell back.

Kevin's surge has momentarily paused in 5th while Michelle and Nick retain second and third place. There wasn't any movement for Dan (13th), Jenni (14th) or Sandra (15th).

NB Players who arrived at the end of the transfer window yesterday have yet to be added to the players list and those that transferred between PL clubs are not yet attached to their new team. I aim to update the players list before Friday's game to see whether the new additions or changes have been made. 

Welcome to season 2026/27, the 32nd season of SITF.

We may have a new scoring system (which I really haven't got my head around yet) but that doesn't seem to have held Jon back. He has moved straight to the top of the leaderboard with Quantum of Tzolis, a team name that would seem to have more positive connotations than its predecessors. In second place is Michelle who asks the question of the Spurs manager (when doesn't she?) and, after the first debacle of the season at Brentford, it is a question that has relevance! 

Nick sits in third with a team, like Oliver's, that was submitted from Orlando. Well done to those two for getting their teams in on time and, of course to Joe on the other side of the world completely. Oh, okay, if I'm mentioning foreign countries, I suppose I must also recognise our Welsh contingent although they are not quite so far away - and in the same time zone!

The Premier League transfer window doesn't close until after this coming weekend so expect some changes and keep an eye on your teams to make sure you don't end up with more than three players from any one team.

Good luck to all. Let's enjoy the football.

Well, it's all over bar the shouting. The shouting, that is, by the Argentine team who are still moaning despite employing tactics that ruined what should have been a spectacle, showcasing football to the world. Instead, it was left to Spain to dominate proceedings and to produce the football we've come to expect, although it took them a long time to break down their opposition. 

Whilst the game itself could hardly be described as a one-goal thriller, the uncertainty of the result didn't do anything to calm the nerves because the destination of the ITF trophy was not determined until that final whistle. More goals at either end would have changed matters, especially if Messi had scored but, in the event, Ken hung on to his lead and Karen retained the second place she had grabbed from Mick after the Third Place match.

So, that's the end, finally, of the 2025/26 season. It has been a long year of football. Take a break, fantasy managers; the new season starts in 5 weeks' time on Friday 21 August.  

Well, at least the uncertainty is over; we now know the make-up of the final. Like others, I thought France would be too good for Spain but, surprisingly, that's not how it turned out. And although being partisan, one had to root for England, the tactics employed on the night (or mainly in the second half!) led instead to their downfall and a trip to Miami for a game that neither team will be at all interested in. That third place final will surely contain previously unused squad members, and may, therefore, seriously undermine those carefully constructed fantasy teams whose managers had a very different outcome in mind. The final itself will at least showcase some of the best players in the world, so fantasy points are still on offer. Just don't ask me for a prediction because I really don't know.

Off the pitch, although Ken extended his lead over Mick with Karen just keeping in touch in third, that could all change over the course of the last two matches. Waiting for the leaders to adopt a Tuchel approach, are Jenni in fourth and Sandra in fifth. Both moved up a place at the expense of Jon who dropped down two. Michelle (despite her Tuchel Vision) improved by one to join Brian in seventh, while Simon sits alone in ninth.

The transfer window for the two remaining games is open and will close at 20:30 on Saturday 18 July. Good luck and let's hope it's a good final.

On we go!

Unlike Morocco, Belgium, Norway and Switzerland, England aren't packing their bags and heading home, they're off to Atlanta for what is bound to be a charged semi-final encounter with Argentina. This is all nail-biting stuff. And, yet again, it's no different in fantasyland. Managers are currently faced with a heatwave, which is adding to our already affected sleep patterns, so concentration levels may be causing loss of focus. Just like a goalkeeper who concedes after fumbling a shot! 

The outcome of the tournament remains difficult to call and that is mirrored in our own competition. Ken has held on to his lead but Mick (who has clearly kept his focus) has jumped three places to move into second with the round's highest score. His progress means Karen, Jon and Jenni are all pushed back a place. The remaining four teams haven't moved. 

Book your places on your sofas for Tuesday and Wednesday evening. It's going to be a bumpy ride!

The transfer window is now open and will close at 18:30 on Tuesday 14 July ahead of the France v Spain semi-final.

Four weeks in and are we really any closer to knowing who is going to win? I mean the World Cup itself, but the same applies to our own competition!

What we do know in respect of this Trump-sponsored fiesta, is that it is not going to be any of the host nations - well unless he decides to annex one of the countries with teams left in the Quarter Finals. This is Trump I'm talking about, so anything is possible! As the so-called superstars (e.g. Ronaldo, Neymar and Salah) wipe away the tears and exit the building, there is a particularly interesting gathering of European nations left in the competition. Would you have put your money on a resurgent Belgium or a normally lacklustre Switzerland before the first whistle?

The destination of the SITF trophy is equally uncertain. Early doors saw Sandra take the lead. Then it was Ken but he was soon deposed by Jon with, after the previous round, Karen on his coat-tails. After the Round of 16 Karen has held her place in second, but both Jon and Jenni lost ground as Ken rebounded to take a fragile lead. As with the real thing, there's all to play for!

88 games played, only 16 more to go.  Now who is your money on? Still one of the original favourites - Spain, France or Brazil? Or is there still a nation left in who is capable of causing an upset? Like Cape Verde almost did last night, or rather in the early hours. At least it meant I was awake to see the ISS fly over in a beautifully clear sky!

So, back in fantasy land, Jon continues to lead, but only by one point from Karen. She has shaken off Jenni who has dropped back to third. Ken remains fourth with Mick fast closing up in 5th. Up two places in the previous round, he has now moved up one more with the highest points tally of the round. Sandra and Brian each drop back one as a result while Michelle (Tuchel Vision just isn't doing it - on, or off the pitch!) and Simon haven't moved.

The tournament moves into the Round of 16 at 18:00 this evening (Saturday) when Canada take on Morocco. Two transfers can be made until 17:00. That should be enough time to remove any remaining England defenders!

As the teams sort themselves out before the Round of 32, and Scotland finally pack their bags and head home, Karen moved up two places to share second spot with Jenni who, with the highest score of the round, jumped four places. But it is Jon, with his own improvement of two places, who has forged his way into the lead. Ken fell back three places to 4th, while Sandra stayed put in 5th. Coming from different directions, Mick and Brian share sixth, the former gaining two places and the latter falling back four. Michelle also lost ground in 8th while Simon, despite the second highest score of the round, continues to occupy 9th.

The Round of the Last 32 begins tonight when South Africa go head-to-head with one of the hosts, Canada. Transfers to prepare your teams for the knockout phase (some need it more than others!) can be made until 1900 this evening (Sunday).

As England's tournament plans started to wash away in the Boston rainstorm, so did their more ardent fantasy followers. Sandra's Kane's time has come! and Michelle's Tuchel Vision both dropped out of the top four, as did Jenni. Only Brian and his stalwart Arctic Donkeys kept his place in the top three, actually moving up a place to second. He is now sandwiched between Ken's Global Flyers, who were the round's top scorers and moved up four places to lead, and Jon's The Unbungoables, who also moved up four into third. Karen gained two places to complete the top four, while Mick also moved up one, leaving Simon in ninth.

So, where does a fantasy manager go from here? Some teams know they are already going home and may use squad players in their final group game. Those teams certain to progress may well do the same. Can those teams with something left to play for, including a top-eight third place finish, take the risk of doing the same in order to rest some players? Oh, the uncertainty! If you can decide, two transfers can be made before 1900 this evening.