Italy claimed their first Billie Jean King Cup title in 11 years as Jasmine Paolini wrapped up a 2-0 win over Slovakia in Malaga.

Paolini, who has enjoyed a breakthrough 2024 season, was part of the Italian team that finished runners-up to Canada 12 months ago.

The world number four won 6-2 6-1 against Rebecca Sramkova after Lucia Bronzetti had put Italy ahead with a 6-2 6-4 victory over Viktoria Hruncakova in the first singles match.

"I always dreamed about this trophy," said Bronzetti, who was playing just her second singles match in the competition.

"We are the world champions, we can be much happier. It is a dream of all of ours and we are so proud."

Italy, who will earn $2.4m (1.9m) in prize money for winning their fifth title, have become a tennis powerhouse recently, with the men's team - led by world number one Jannik Sinner - winning its first Davis Cup in 47 years in 2023.

"I think it's an unbelievable year for Italian tennis and it's so good for our sport in our country," Paolini told reporters.

"We have a lot of fans of tennis in Italy now, tennis is growing a lot."

Captain Tathiana Garbin said: "It's a dream come true. I have such great champions, great players, and great human beings.

"I am so proud of them. They fight every day."

Slovakia, who knocked Great Britain out on Tuesday, were playing in their first final since they won the tournament in 2002.

Fly-half Marcus Smith is improving the way he dovetails with the rest of England's attack, says assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge.

Smith, 25, has been one of England's standout performers in three Autumn Nations Series defeats against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

However, despite Smith's creativity in attack and accuracy from the kicking tee, England are still on their worst run since 2018 after five straight defeats.

"I have found Marcus really open to discussions about the game," Strawbridge told BBC Sport.

"He is getting better and better at having a deeper understanding of the game and his role in it."

Since his Premiership debut for Harlequins as an 18-year-old, regular eye-catching performances left many calling for Smith to be England's long-term option at fly-half.

Now capped 38 times, he has started six Tests in a row for the first time since 2022, but five have resulted in defeats - four of which came down to the final play.

England's opening try on Saturday against South Africa came when Smith opted against a drop-goal, darted to the blindside and set up Ollie Sleightholme for a run into the corner.

Strawbridge says that England's attack allows for such improvisation, and is also confident Smith's game management is improving.

"In some environments I have been in we put all the pressure on the 10 like a quarterback in American Football - they make all the decisions, the calls and the plays. That isn't the case here," he added.

"We are spreading the decision-making and we are trying to sharpen that edge. Marcus' decisions are within that structure."

The Chicago Blackhawks will be without top defenseman Seth Jones for four weeks after he suffered a right foot injury against the Seattle Kraken on Nov. 14.

Jones, 30, was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. He may have been hurt while blocking a shot in Chicago's 3-1 loss to Seattle, coach Luke Richardson told reporters on Wednesday.

"Unfortunate for us and him, he was rolling along pretty good," Richardson said ahead of Chicago's game Thursday against the visiting Florida Panthers. "But that's just the nature of the business."

Entering Wednesday, Jones -- who has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 17 games this season -- led all skaters in ice time at 25:43.

Jones was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Nashville Predators. In 814 games over 12 seasons with the Predators (2013-16), Columbus Blue Jackets (2016-21) and Blackhawks (2021-present), the four-time All-Star blueliner has 415 points (92 goals, 323 assists).

Richardson said defenseman Artyom Levshunov, the No. 2 overall pick by the Blackhawks in this year's draft, likely won't be called up to fill Jones' spot. Chicago's coach also said defenseman Kevin Korchinski, who along with Levshunov is playing with Rockford of the American Hockey League, is also not expected to join the NHL club.

BROSSARD, Quebec -- The Montreal Canadiens might be getting some reinforcements soon after Patrik Laine practiced with his teammates Wednesday for the first time since sustaining a left knee sprain.

Laine skated alone before joining the team for the first few drills at practice. He wore a noncontact jersey and left the ice after about 15 minutes.

"It's nice to have him back with us," defenseman David Savard said. "It can feel like a long time when you're not practicing with the team, you don't see the guys as much. We've made an effort to keep him involved as much as possible during team meetings, but it's tougher when we're on the road.

"But it's great to see him and to know he's close to returning to play."

Laine was injured after a collision with Cedric Pare during a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 28. He opted not to undergo surgery.

The Canadiens announced Oct. 1 that he would be sidelined for two to three months. He resumed skating on his own Nov. 6. At this point, he's expected to make his official debut in a Canadiens uniform sometime in December.

The 26-year-old Finn hasn't played in the NHL since Dec. 14 as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was sidelined because of a fractured clavicle and later entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to focus on his mental health.

Laine probably will need some time to get back into game rhythm.

"Will it take one game? Two weeks? I don't know, we'll see," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said.

The Canadiens are riding a two-game winning streak and next play the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday at the Bell Centre.

The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer's Club World Cup and is willing to take legal action if denied.

Alajuelense, which has won 30 league titles, wants FIFA to enforce the rule that forbids clubs from the same ownership to participate in the tournament.

"The claim is based on the principles of eligibility set in the rules of the tournament," the club said in a press release.

Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca.

"Those are the rules that FIFA established -- there cannot be multi-ownership," Vazquez said Wednesday. "There are two Mexican clubs from the same owner and the rulebook is clear. What we are asking is to review what FIFA itself established."

The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year.

"We hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details," Vazquez said of potential legal action.

FIFA has not publicly reacted to the team's announcement and didn't immediately answer a request for comment.

Alajuelense is the best-ranked team in Central America for the Concacaf, but 40th overall in the region.

Concacaf has four spots in the Club World Cup. The teams that qualified are: the Seattle Sounders FC, Monterrey, Leon and Pachuca. Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF will participate as a guest of the host.

All five clubs were announced for the Dec. 5 draw in Miami.

In Mexico, besides Leon and Pachuca, there are another two companies that own two or more clubs in the first division. Grupo Caliente owns Tijuana and Queretaro, while Grupo Orlegi controls Atlas and Santos. TV Azteca owns Mazatlan and has partial ownership of Puebla.

On May 2023, the Liga MX announced that multi-ownership will be forbidden, but gave owners four years to sell.

Jesus Martinez Murguia, who runs the Leon club, said they will sell part of the team to comply with the rules but will still have a partial ownership.

Former Spain international and World Cup winner Juan Mata has joined the ownership group of MLS expansion side San Diego FC, the club announced on Wednesday.

Mata, currently playing with Australian A-League Men side Western Sydney Wanderers, is the first active international soccer player to hold an ownership stake in an MLS team, and joins Inter Miami CF co-owner David Beckham as only the second international player to be involved in MLS ownership.

San Diego, which will begin play next season, is owned by Egyptian businessman and club chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour, with the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a Native American tribe whose reservation is located near El Cajon, California, also in the ownership group.

Mansour also owns Danish club FC Nordsjælland and the Right to Dream Academy, a soccer academy which has facilities in Ghana, Egypt, and Denmark.

"We are absolutely delighted that Juan Mata has joined the club as a partner," said Mansour. "Juan has been an active and long-term supporter of Right to Dream, and he shares our values of wanting to use football to deliver long-term social impact and change."

Mata, 36, founded the Common Goal initiative in 2017, pledging one percent of his salary to social causes. Common Goal is a partner of Right to Dream (RTD).

"Joining San Diego FC as a partner is an exciting opportunity to help build something truly special in a city and league that are experiencing incredible growth," said Mata in a statement released by the team. "The commitment of both this Club and Right to Dream to community impact, excellence, and a vision for long-term success aligns perfectly with my own values. I look forward to contributing my experience and passion for the game and working alongside everyone here to build a Club that inspires both on and off the pitch."

Mata has enjoyed a glittering career as a player, one that, in addition to his World Cup exploits has seen him win Euro 2012 with Spain, and the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League with Chelsea.

"Juan's addition to SDFC's ownership group brings a global perspective and a commitment to positive social impact that perfectly aligns with our Club's mission," said SDFC CEO Tom Penn. "As a World Cup champion, Champions League winner, and a leader both on and off the field, Juan embodies excellence and purpose in everything he does. His passion for using football as a force for good resonates deeply with our vision for our SDFC and our community, and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome him to our Club."

A product of Real Madrid's youth academy, Mata began his professional career with Real Madrid Castilla before transferring to Valencia CF in 2007, where he won the Copa del Rey the following year.

Mata signed for Chelsea in 2011, and in addition to the Champions League, he was part of sides that claimed the 2012 FA Cup, and the 2013 UEFA Europa League titles. He also earned Chelsea's Player of the Year honors twice in that span.

Mata also enjoyed success upon joining Manchester United in January of 2014, winning the FA Cup, Europa League and EFL Cup during his nine seasons with the club. He later won league titles in Turkey with Galatasaray, and in Japan with Vissel Kobe.

He joined Western Sydney Wanderers in September of this year.

Mata is a strategic investor in Alpine Racing Ltd, a Formula 1 team backed by Renault Group through Otro Capital, a private investment fund focused on sports, media, and entertainment ventures.

The Arnault family, owners of the LVMH luxury empire, plan to draw on Jürgen Klopp's expertise as part of an ambitious project to transform Paris FC into a force in French soccer.

The family's takeover of the second-tier club includes bringing energy drink giant Red Bull on board as a minority stakeholder. Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, is set to join Red Bull as head of global soccer in January.

"I've spoken with Klopp several times, and he's very, very excited about working with us," said Antoine Arnault, son of billionaire Bernard Arnault.

Arnault spoke Wednesday at a news conference at the team's training ground in Orly, located 14 miles south of Paris.

"We're not coming in alone," Arnault said. "Red Bull is by our side because we know what we're good at and what we're not. We have management skills, but none in football operations."

Arnault highlighted plans to leverage Red Bull's tools to tap into the Paris region's deep pool of soccer talent.

"Paris has probably the best talent pool in the world, rivaling only São Paulo," he said. "Red Bull's revolutionary data tools will greatly aid our scouting efforts."

Arnault also outlined plans for the family's majority stake.

"This is a family project we started with my brothers and sister," Arnault told reporters. "We thought it was a good idea to venture into something more thrilling than our usual activities. Football has been my passion since I was 10 years old."

The family's holding company, Agache, will acquire a 52% stake in the club, while Red Bull will hold 11%. Arnault will represent Agache on Paris FC's board.

Current club president and owner Pierre Ferracci will retain 30% for now. He said the takeover has been approved by the French league, with the deal expected to be finalized on Nov. 29.

By 2027, the Arnault family is set to hold around 80% of the shares, with Red Bull increasing its stake to 15%.

The acquisition positions Paris FC as a potential rival to Paris Saint-Germain, the Qatari-backed powerhouse. However, Arnault downplayed any rivalry.

"PSG is a club I've loved since I was 12 years old," he said. "You'll never hear me say anything negative about it. I don't exclude supporting two clubs in the capital."

Arnault described the project as a long-term effort to elevate Paris FC's men's and women's teams to top-tier success.

Ferracci, who has led Paris FC since 2012, emphasized the importance of sustainable growth for the club.

"There's a sovereignty issue in football," Ferracci said, referring to the dominance of foreign ownership in French clubs. "If Paris FC can stand out with French investment, it would be a very good thing."

Created in 1969, Paris FC's men's team has yet to achieve any significant success. This year, they lead the Ligue 2 standings with more than half of the season remaining, and their women's team competes in France's top-tier league and the Women's Champions League.

"We're not doing this to make money," Arnault said. "We want to provide emotional experiences for fans. We were deeply inspired by the Olympics and their positive impact. While we are not used to wasting money, we'll work toward financial balance."

The United States women's national team will host Japan, Australia and Colombia in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation said on Wednesday.

The USWNT, currently ranked first in FIFA's women's soccer rankings, will open the competition on Feb. 20 against 21st-ranked Colombia at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.

That will be followed three days later with a match against 15th-ranked Australia at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Feb. 26. The final day of the competition will see the U.S. face seventh-ranked Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif.

This is the 10th edition of the tournament.

"This will be my first SheBelieves Cup, but I've followed the tournament, and it always produces close games between top teams," U.S. head coach Emma Hayes said. "All four of these teams were in the last World Cup and Olympics, and all are in the building process to qualify for the next World Cup, so to get three games against talented teams and players in a format that replicates group play at a world championship is valuable in our process. All the games will be great tests for the teams and fun for all the fans."

The USWNT has never been beaten by Las Cafeteras, holding an all-time record of 11-0-2. The two teams last met at the W Gold Cup, with the USWNT prevailing 3-0.

The United States women have played the Matildas 35 times, with the USWNT holding a record of 28W-1L-5D. Australia is managed by former U.S. head coach Tom Sermanni. The U.S. and Australia met in the final group match of this summer's Olympics, a 2-1 U.S. victory that knocked the Matildas out of the tournament.

The U.S.-Japan rivalry dates back to 1986. Starting in 2011, the teams met in three straight world finals, with Japan winning the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup on penalties, while the U.S. won the London 2012 Olympic Games and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The USWNT holds a 32W-1L-8D all-time record against the Nadeshiko. The most recent meeting between the two teams took place at last summer's Olympic Games, as the Americans claimed a 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals.

Australia and Colombia will make their first appearances in the SheBelieves Cup, while Japan returns to the field for the third consecutive year and the fifth time overall. The USA has won the last five SheBelieves Cups and has seven titles overall, while France won in 2017, and England took top honors in 2019.

The SheBelieves Cup will be the second event for the USWNT in 2025 as the team will start the new year with a training camp in Los Angeles that will run from Jan. 14-21.

No official matches are associated with that camp, but it will run concurrently with the "Futures Camp" that will feature up-and-coming USWNT prospects.

Rosters for both camps will be announced early next year.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- A former University of Virginia student pleaded guilty Wednesday to fatally shooting three football players and wounding two other students on the Charlottesville campus in 2022.

Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and five counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. A four-day sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin Feb. 4 in Albemarle County Circuit Court. Jones faces a maximum punishment of five life terms plus 23 years, according to a statement from UVA.

Authorities said Jones opened fire on a charter bus as he and other students arrived back on campus after seeing a play and having dinner together in Washington, D.C.

Authorities had not released a motive. Jones was a former member of the Virginia football team at the time of the shooting. A witness told police that he had targeted specific victims.

Football players Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were killed, while a fourth member of the team, Mike Hollins, and another student, Marlee Morgan, were wounded.

"Today, we sat eye to eye with the defendant as he plead guilty to ALL charges," the Perry family said in a statement to ESPN. "It is now in God's hands. We ask the public to join us at the open sentencing hearing so that we can send the message to the defendant and the judge on the impact of the actions the defendant took on November 13, 2022 and what each life meant!!"

"Today's proceedings represent another step in a lengthy and painful journey for the families of the victims and for our community," UVA president Jim Ryan added in a statement. "We continue to grieve the loss of three beloved members of our community and the injuries suffered by others on the bus."

The shooting erupted near a parking garage and set off panic and a 12-hour lockdown of the campus until the suspect was captured.

Within days of the shooting, university leaders had asked for an outside review to investigate Virginia's safety policies and procedures, its response to the violence and its prior efforts to assess the potential threat of the student who was eventually charged. School officials acknowledged he previously had been on the radar of the university's threat-assessment team.

In June, a lawyer representing some of the victims and their families had announced that the university had agreed to pay $9 million in a settlement.

Kimberly Wald, an attorney who represents some of the families, said at the time that the school would pay $2 million each to the families of the three students who died, the maximum allowable under Virginia law. The school would also pay $3 million total to the two students who were wounded.

Following the settlement, some of the families had also called for the immediate release of an independent investigation into the shooting, which was completed last year.

Wald had said the university should have removed Jones from campus before the attack because he displayed multiple red flags through erratic and unstable behavior.

"We were thrown in the fire on that horrific night when our phone rang," the Perry family statement continued. "The time is now that we demand change!! It's time that we protect our children. We have the right to be safe in our homes, on our street and at our schools!! We have a right to be safe!!"

University officials said they had postponed the report's release last year over concerns that it could affect a trial that had been scheduled for January. UVA said in Wednesday's statement that university leaders have committed to release copies of the external review at the end of the criminal proceedings, and plan to provide the documents to the public after sentencing.

ESPN's Andrea Adelson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

After falling to 2-2 with a one-point loss to the Denver Broncos, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson called an internal meeting on Sept. 30 with his top football people. In that meeting, Johnson -- concerned about the direction of the team -- broached the idea of benching quarterback Aaron Rodgers, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

Johnson's suggestion, first reported by The Athletic, triggered different reactions. One source, who attended the meeting, indicated that it was "said in jest in a provocative nature." Others in the meeting interpreted it differently.

One source said Johnson appeared to be serious, while another said, "If Woody really wanted Rodgers benched, he would've been benched."

Rodgers survived the threat -- it's unclear whether he knew about it -- but two people in the meeting are no longer with the team. Eight days later, Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh after three-plus seasons. On Tuesday, general manager Joe Douglas met the same fate after five-plus seasons on the job.

The Jets (3-8), one of the NFL's biggest disappointments, are poised for an organizational reset in the offseason. The search for a new GM already is underway, Johnson announced Tuesday.

The Sept. 30 meeting, previously reported by ESPN, turned out to be a watershed moment in the season. It created tension in the building, with one source saying at the time that Johnson was "out for blood."

Typically, Johnson meets with Douglas and Saleh after every game. This one was a larger-scale meeting because it included the three coordinators and other members of the front office, which changed the tenor. People were stunned when Rodgers' job status was mentioned.

The four-time MVP didn't play particularly well in the 10-9 loss to the Broncos, a game in which the Jets failed to score a touchdown, but the idea of replacing him with Tyrod Taylor seemed extreme. Two weeks later, the Jets made a move designed to help Rodgers, acquiring his close friend Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Johnson pushed for the trade, sources said, agreeing to pick up more than $11 million in remaining 2024 salary.

Rodgers has yet to comment on Johnson's suggestion that he be benched.

Johnson, 77, has taken a more hands-on approach since the end of last season in both personnel and contract matters. Just last week, he instructed interim coach Jeff Ulbrich to bench safety Tony Adams, sources said. Johnson also has attended daily meetings -- classroom sessions with coaches and players.

He recently called this Jets roster the best he has had in 25 years of ownership, expressing confidence -- even after firing Saleh -- that it would snap the franchise's 13-year playoff drought. The Jets are on the verge of mathematical elimination, but there should be plenty of drama, starting with Rodgers.

Rodgers, who turns 41 on Dec. 2, has said he'd like to play in 2025, but that likely won't be with the Jets. One source said he'd be "shocked" if Johnson signs off on another year of Rodgers, who is mired in one of the worst statistical years of his legendary career.

Davante Adams' future also will be a key storyline. He's under contract for 2025, but his cap charge is a prohibitive $38.3 million, meaning he'd have to renegotiate to stay. On Wednesday, he said he wants his future to be in New York.

"I hope it is," he told Kay Adams during his weekly spot on the "Up & Adams" podcast. "I see us being a winning organization regardless of what you see on the outside."