2026 UK Open: Draw, schedule, prize money and format explained — and more

The UK Open is the next major to take place in the PDC.

Arsenal Interest Rebuffed as Corinthians Hold Firm on Matheuzinho

Arsenal’s long range scouting network has once again led them to South America. Yet, as reported by RTIESPORTE.COM, Corinthians have drawn a clear line regarding right back Matheuzinho, rejecting two offers including one from the Premier League.

The 25 year old has emerged as a central figure under Dorival Júnior. According to the report, Marcelo Paz believes “It is not the right time to negotiate the defender.”, with the club viewing him as a structural pillar rather than a tradable asset. Arsenal have monitored him since last season, but admiration alone does not shift negotiating positions.

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Contract Strength and Internal Priority

Matheuzinho’s contract runs until December 2028. That timeframe alters the dynamic significantly. Corinthians hold leverage, reinforced by a release clause of 100 million euros for international clubs and 50 million euros domestically.

RTIESPORTE.COM outline that the club purchased 60 percent of his economic rights in 2024 for 4 million euros from Flamengo. Since then, he has become a dressing room reference point, described as one of the principal leaders within the squad.

With a congested calendar and Copa Libertadores ambitions, stability has become policy. The report indicates that even proposals offering higher wages abroad have not tempted the player. Corinthians are planning a meeting to discuss salary appreciation and to reinforce the sporting project around him.

Arsenal’s Calculated Watch

For Arsenal, this is familiar territory. Monitoring does not equal immediate escalation. The club have built a reputation for patience, identifying profiles that fit technical and developmental frameworks.

Matheuzinho’s versatility and leadership appeal. Yet with Corinthians signalling that negotiations would only begin at figures approaching the international clause, the pathway is narrow.

At present, the message from São Paulo is unambiguous. Matheuzinho remains central to Dorival Júnior’s plans, and Corinthians have little appetite for compromise.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Arsenal supporters, this report reads as both frustrating and encouraging. Frustrating because the profile is compelling. A 25 year old right back with leadership credentials and Libertadores ambition suggests resilience and maturity. Encouraging because it confirms the club’s recruitment radar remains expansive and proactive.

Fans understand that Arsenal rarely rush negotiations where leverage is limited. A 100 million euro clause places Corinthians in command. Even so, the knowledge that the player has not pushed for a move adds nuance. Arsenal supporters tend to favour targets who demonstrate clarity of intent.

There is also strategic patience to consider. If Arsenal view Matheuzinho as long term depth rather than immediate transformation, timing matters. The club’s hierarchy will not be drawn into inflated bidding for symbolic victories.

Supporters will watch closely. South American recruitment has yielded success before. Whether this evolves into a concrete approach may depend less on desire and more on opportunity.

Among the Dodgers non-roster players invited to big league camp in spring training is a mix of veterans on minor league deals plus top prospects Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Jackson Ferris, and others.

Last season, nine of the 27 non-roster invitees in big league camp eventually played for the Dodgers during the regular season, including Roki Sasaki, Dalton Rushing, and Justin Dean, who also played in the postseason.

Among the 32 initial non-roster invitees to Dodgers camp are 17 pitchers, five catchers, and 10 other position players. Here’s a little more on each player. We’ll update this list throughout spring training as other players are signed and roster cuts are made.

Pitchers (12)

RHP — Yency Almonte
2025 spring training: Cubs
2025 highest level: Injured list
2026 age: 31
How acquired: minor league contract, February 19, 2026

Almonte hasn’t pitched in the majors since shoulder surgery in July 2024. He returns to the Dodgers after pitching for them in 2022 and 2023.

RHP — Chris Campos (No. 62)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 25
How acquired: 2022 draft, 7th round

Campos in a full year at Double-A Tulsa in 2025 had a 4.19 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 32 walks in 126 2/3 innings. He got engaged in December.

RHP — Patrick Copen (85)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: 2023 draft, 7th round
Cut date: March 2

After taking a line drive off his face and losing vision in his right eye to end his 2024 season, the tall right-hander had a very nice bounce-back season in 2025, posting a 3.59 ERA in 26 starts and 117 2/3 innings between Great Lakes and Tulsa, and led all Dodgers minor league pitchers with 152 strikeouts.

RHP — Carlos Durán (82)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: MLB
2026 age: 24
How acquired: minor league deal, December 12, 2025

Originally signed by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, Durán last April was traded to the A’s for outfielder Esteury Ruiz. The right-hander made his major league debut with the A’s in May, but allowed three runs and recorded one out in his only major league appearance to date. Sent outright off the A’s 40-man roster in June, Durán had a 5.74 ERA in 62 2/3 Triple-A innings with nearly as many walks (55) as strikeouts (67) before reaching minor league free agency at the conclusion of the season.

LHP — Jackson Ferris (93)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 22
How acquired: trade with Cubs, January 11, 2024

Named to several top-100 prospect lists prior to the 2025 season, after winning the Branch Rickey Award as the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year in 2024, Ferris took a bit of a step back in his full season in Tulsa, with a 3.86 ERA in 126 innings, with a slightly lower strikeout rate (24.2 percent after 27.4 percent) and slightly higher walk rate (10.8 percent to 11.8 percent) than the season before. But he improved down the stretch for Tulsa in 2025 — after a 6.58 ERA and 4.45 FIP in his first 12 outings, Ferris had a 2.19 ERA the rest of the way, with only three home runs allowed over his final 14 starts.

LHP — Luke Fox (89)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: 2023 draft, 17th round
Cut date: March 2

Fox split time between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa, combining for a 2.85 ERA in 22 games, including 21 starts, with 110 strikeouts and 53 walks in 98 innings.

RHP — Nick Frasso (79)
2025 spring training: Dodgers
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 27
How acquired: minor league deal, December 16, 2025
Cut date: March 2

Frasso was acquired from the Blue Jays in the Mitch White trade in August 2022, and spent the last two seasons on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, though he hasn’t yet pitched in the majors. After shoulder and hip surgeries wiped out his 2024 season, Frasso had a 5.49 ERA in 43 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2025, with 68 strikeouts and 42 walks in 77 innings, before getting non-tendered in November.

RHP — Carson Hobbs (71)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: 2023 draft, 11th round

Hobbs pitched in the back end of the bullpen for both Great Lakes and Tulsa, putting up a 2.04 ERA in 42 games, with 63 strikeouts and 21 walks in 53 innings. His 20.9-percent strikeout-minus walk rate was third-best in the Dodgers minors with a minimum of 50 innings.

LHP — Cole Irvin (38)
2025 spring training: Doosan (Korea)
2025 highest level: Korean Baseball Organization
2026 age: 32
How acquired: minor league deal, February 3, 2026

The veteran starter pitched six seasons in the majors for the Phillies, A’s, Orioles, and Twins before heading over to the KBO in 2025. Irvin put up a 4.48 ERA in 28 starts for Doosan last year, with 128 strikeouts and 79 walks in 144 2/3 innings.

LHP — Antoine Kelly (75)
2025 spring training: Rockies (minors)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 26
How acquired: minor league deal, November 14, 2025

A second-round pick of the Brewers in 2019, Kelly has pitched six seasons in the minors in the Brewers, Rangers, and Rockies systems. He had a 5.63 ERA in 34 relief appearances in 2025 for Triple-A Albuquerque, with 41 strikeouts and 27 walks in 38 1/3 innings. On the road last year, away from pitching on the moon, Kelly had a 3.43 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 21 innings, plus zero home runs and a .345 slugging percentage allowed.

LHP — Garrett McDaniels (57)
2025 spring training: Angels
2025 highest level: MLB (Angels)
2026 age: 26
How acquired: returned from Rule 5 Draft, June 14, 2025

McDaniels struggled in his brief time in the majors in Anaheim, but once he returned to the Dodgers put up a 3.30 ERA in 25 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 36 strikeouts and 17 walks in 30 innings.

RHP — Wyatt Mills (58)
2025 spring training: Red Sox (NRI)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 31
How acquired: minor league free agent, August 16, 2025

After pitching parts of two-seasons for the Mariners and Royals, Mills had Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2023-24 seasons. Last year in Triple-A Worcester, Mills put up a 3.12 ERA in 52 innings, with 49 strikeouts and 30 walks.

RHP — José Rodríguez (97)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: international free agent, 2019
Cut date: March 2

Signed out of Mexico seven years ago, Rodríguez went unselected in December’s Rule 5 Draft, allowing him to remain with the Dodgers. The right-hander had a 5.50 ERA in 54 innings between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City last season, with a high strikeout rate (34.1 percent) and high walk rate (14.2 percent). Rodríguez was ranked the Dodgers’ No. 29 prospect this preseason by Baseball America, and rated 30th in the system by FanGraphs.

RHP — Jerming Rosario (81)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: international free agent, July 2, 2018
Cut date: March 2

Rosario repeated with Double-A Tulsa last season and switched from starting to relief pitching, putting up a 4.67 ERA with 87 strikeouts and 51 walks in 79 innings.

RHP — Ryder Ryan (40)
2025 spring training: Pirates (NRI)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 31
How acquired: minor league free agent, January 28, 2026

The older brother of Dodgers pitcher River Ryan, Ryder pitched in parts of 2023-24 in the majors with the Mariners and Pirates. Last year in the Pirates system, Ryder Ryan had a 4.73 ERA in 42 games, with 61 strikeouts and 38 walks in 72 1/3 innings in Triple-A Indianapolis.

LHP — Adam Serwinowski (73)
2025 spring training: Reds (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 22
How acquired: 3-team trade, July 31, 2025
Cut date: March 2

Serwinowski ended his season with one start for Tulsa, after dominating in six starts for High-A Great Lakes, with 44 strikeouts and 14 strikeouts to go with his 1.83 ERA that earned him Midwest League pitcher of the month honors for August.

RHP — Jordan Weems (45)
2025 spring training: Braves (NRI)
2025 highest level: MLB (Astros)
2026 age: 33
How acquired: minor league free agent, February 9, 2026

Weems pitched in the majors in each of the last six seasons, including allowing seven runs in 4 1/3 innings for Houston in 2025. Between Gwinnett and Sugar Land in Triple-A, the right-hander had a 4.44 ERA in 39 games, with 49 strikeouts and 23 walks in 46 2/3 innings.

RHP — Lucas Wepf (90)
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: non-drafted free agent, 2022

Wepf had a 2.79 ERA in 23 games for Tulsa last season with 36 strikeouts, 16 walks, and no home runs allowed in 29 innings. But his season ended in June, missing the final two and a half months on the injured list.

Catchers (3)

C — Eliézer Alfonzo (64)
Bats both, throws right
2025 spring training: Tigers (NRI)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 26
How acquired: minor league free agent, November 17, 2025

Alfonzo spent the last nine years in the Detroit Tigers’ minor league system. He hit .247/.297/.322 with 14 doubles in 65 games last season, including eight games with Triple-A Toledo in his first time at that level. His father, also named Eliézer Alfonzo, played six seasons in the majors and was a non-roster invitee in Dodgers camp in 2013.

C — Griffin Lockwood-Powell (92)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 28
How acquired: non-drafted free agent, 2021

Hit .226/.350/.326 in 81 games last year while repeating in Double-A Tulsa. Started five games at first base and five more at designated hitter in addition to his team-leading 69 starts behind the plate in 2025.

C — Nelson Quiroz (87)
Bats left, throws right
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 24
How acquired: international free agent, April 1, 2019
Cut date: March 2

Quiroz split time between Great Lakes and Tulsa last season, and hit .333/.393/.441 with 13 doubles and a 139 wRC+ in 55 games between both levels.

C — Chuckie Robinson (52)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Angels
2025 highest level: MLB (Dodgers)
2026 age: 31
How acquired: minor league deal, December 18, 2025
Cut date: March 2

Robinson spent time on the 40-man rosters of the Angels, Dodgers, and Braves in 2025, but only played in the majors in one game, with Los Angeles in September. After ending the season in the minors with Atlanta, the veteran backstop signed a minor league deal with Dodgers in December.

C — Seby Zavala (33)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Red Sox (NRI)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 32
How acquired: minor league free agent, February 5, 2026

Zavala played parts of five seasons in the majors. Last year he his .165/.274/.340 with eight home runs in 67 games for Triple-A Worcester.

Position players (9)

OF — Josue De Paula (95)
Bats left, throws left
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 21
How acquired: international free agent, 2022

De Paula is the highest-rated Dodgers prospect by average ranking entering 2026, ranked between 14th and 24th in baseball by Baseball Prospectus, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic, ESPN, and Baseball America. This came after a .250/.391/.400 season with a 132 wRC+ and 32 steals, mostly for Great Lakes before getting promoted to Tulsa for the final week of the season. De Paula also homered in the 2025 MLB Futures Game in Atlanta to win game MVP honors.

OF — Zach Ehrhard (99)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Red Sox (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 23
How acquired: trade with Boston, July 31, 2025

A fourth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2024, Ehrhard came to the Dodgers in the Dustin May trade along with fellow NRI James Tibbs III. Ehrhard hit .282/.391/.466 with a 143 wRC+ and 13 extra-base hits in 35 games with Double-A Tulsa.

2B/3B/SS — Santiago Espinal (21)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Reds
2025 highest level: MLB
2026 age: 31
How acquired: minor league free agent, February 17, 2026

Veteran infielder played in the majors in each of the previous six seasons with the Blue Jays and Reds. Espinal has a career 107 wRC+ against left-handed pitching and has played third base, second base, and shortstop extensively.

IF/OF — Ryan Fitzgerald (46)
Bats left, throws right
2025 spring training: Twins (minors)
2025 highest level: MLB (Twins)
2026 age: 32
How acquired: waiver claim, January 9, 2026

The utility man made his major league debut with the Twins at age 31 last season, splitting his time almost evenly between shortstop, second base, and third base. In his minor league career, Fitzgerald has started at all three outfield spots and all four infield positions. Fitzgerald was designated for assignment when the Dodgers signed Andy Ibáñez on January 13, then a week later after clearing waivers was sent outright to the minors.

OF — Kendall George (0)
Bats left, throws left
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: High-A
2026 age: 21
How acquired: 2023 draft, first round

The speedy center fielder stole an eye-popping 100 bases for Great Lakes, just the fourth player in Dodgers organizational history to do so. He got there with a strong second-half kick that improved his seasonal line to .295/.409/.370 with a 131 wRC+.

1B/OF — Matt Gorski (56)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Pirates (NRI)
2025 highest level: MLB
2026 age: 28
How acquired: minor league free agent, July 23, 2025
Cut date: March 2

Gorski made his major league debut last April with the Pirates, got hurt in Triple-A Indianapolis in May, and was released in July. The Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal last July, but he spent the rest of the season on the injured list and has not yet played in the organization.

1B/2B/LF — Keston Kiura (9)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Rockies (NRI)
2025 highest level: MLB
2026 age: 29
How acquired: minor league free agent, February 12, 2026
Cut date: March 2

Hiura has played parts of six seasons in the majors with the Brewers, Angels, and Rockies, though only 18 of those games came in the last three seasons. The former UC Irvine Anteater hit .272/.369/.507 with a 107 wRC+ and 21 home runs in 100 games with Triple-A Albquerque in 2025.

OF — Zyhir Hope (94)
Bats left, throws left
2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 21
How acquired: trade with Cubs, January 11, 2024

Hope hit .266/.376/.428 with a 131 wRC+ mostly for Great Lakes, and was promoted with De Paula to Tulsa for the final week of the season. Hope’s average rank of the five national outlets so far is the 37th-best prospect in baseball heading into 2026, topping out at No. 18 at Baseball Prospectus.

SS — Noah Miller (88)
Bats both, throws right
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 23
How acquired: trade with Twins, February 27, 2024

Acquired for Manuel Margot before the 2024 season, Miller struggled at the plate in his first taste of Triple-A, hitting .238/.269/.344 in 59 games for Oklahoma City. But strong defense his his calling card. Baseball America rated Miller the Dodgers’ 23rd-best prospect in the system and said, “Miller is the Dodgers’ best infield defender and has the skills to lock down any position on the dirt. He is quick, agile and fearless and has a strong, accurate throwing arm as well. Those skills alone should get him to the big leagues and keep him there for a long time.”

OF — Chris Newell (00)
Bats left, throws left
2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 25
How acquired: 2022 draft, 13th round
Cut date: March 2

Newell hit .241/.346/.428 with a 118 wRC+ for Tulsa last season with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Coupled with his 25 home runs and 31 steals in 2024, Newell is the only Dodgers minor leaguer with a 20-homer, 20-steal season (let alone two) in the last four years.

IF/OF — Nick Senzel (15)
Bats right, throws right
2025 spring training: Mexican League (independent)
2025 highest level: Triple-A
2026 age: 31
How acquired: minor league free agent, May 1, 2025

Senzel played parts of six seasons in the majors (2019-24) with the Reds, Nationals, and White Sox before joining the Dodgers last season. In 2025 with Oklahoma City, Senzel started games at third base, left field, right field, shortstop, second base, and center field.

OF — James Tibbs III (98)
Bats left, throws left
2025 spring training: Giants (minors)
2025 highest level: Double-A
2026 age: 23
How acquired: trade with Boston, July 31, 2025

A first-round pick of the Giants in 2024, Tibbs was traded for Rafael Devers in June, then dealt with Ehrhard for Dustin May in July. With Tulsa, Ehrhard hit .269/.407/.493 with a 155 wRC+ and seven home runs in 36 games after the latter trade. Tibbs was rated the Dodgers’ ninth-best prospect heading into this season by FanGraphs.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewis Hamilton are among the sports stars whose schedules are in doubt because of the spreading war in the Middle East.

Cancelations and travel shutdowns are already affecting events since the United States and Israel launched a wave of strikes on Iran on Saturday. Organizers of Formula 1 and major soccer games face deciding within weeks whether they can go ahead as scheduled.

Middle Eastern nations have become crucial to the world sports landscape over the last decade as event hosts, financial backers and employers for some of the world's top athletes.

Key upcoming events

The clock is ticking for a decision on whether to cancel or move the “Finalissima” soccer game on March 27 between Spain and Argentina, the champions of Europe and South America. That match would offer Messi a chance to win yet another trophy in a glittering career.

Qatar suspended all soccer games until further notice Sunday. Argentina was also scheduled to play Qatar in a friendly March 31.

“UEFA is monitoring and carefully assessing all developments of the situation in cooperation with (South American soccer body) CONMEBOL and the (local organizing committee),” European soccer body UEFA told The Associated Press on Monday.

Ronaldo's soccer team, Saudi club Al Nassr, has already been affected by a wave of cancelations of Asian Champions League games. His team was scheduled to play Wednesday in Dubai.

Formula 1 has races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next month. F1 and its teams typically start to fly in staff and freight weeks in advance, limiting the time to make a decision on whether to go ahead. Governing body FIA says its priority is “safety and wellbeing.”

The men's and women's tennis tours and golf's European tour have just finished their Middle East tournament swings and aren't due back for months.

Iran is set to play in US at the World Cup

Iran is due to send its men's soccer team to the U.S. for the World Cup in just over three months, with a first game June 16 against New Zealand in Inglewood, California.

There's doubt over whether Iran can or will take part in the tournament. Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj has said “we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.”

The U.S. government has promised exemptions from its travel bans for athletes and coaches at events like the World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Airspace closures leave athletes stranded

Even if some events go ahead, a major concern for athletes and teams will be how they can travel in and out of the region safely.

Former U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev is among a group of tennis players waiting in Dubai for a chance to fly out after a tournament there concluded last week. If they can't travel soon, it will affect the BNP Paribas Open starting Wednesday in Indian Wells, California.

Cricket and basketball players are facing challenges, too, along with thousands of foreign tourists, while F1 personnel are seeking alternative travel to avoid the region on their way to this week's Australian Grand Prix.

A key region for world sports

The Middle East's influence on world sports has surged in recent years as countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have hosted major events and become crucial financial backers.

Besides soccer and auto racing, Qatar has a World Endurance Championship sportscar race this month, a MotoGP motorcycle race, a gymnastics World Cup next month and hosts the first Diamond League track meet of the year in May. Qatar also owns Champions League-winning soccer team Paris Saint-Germain.

Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2034 World Cup in men's soccer, has funded the LIV Golf breakaway league and become a major player in world boxing.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports