Two weeks off the air and the world didn't slow down one bit. Episode 168 of Tackling the Chicane is a full plate: Arsenal are Premier League champions 2026 for the first time since 2004, Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title on a final day that actually meant something for once, the US Men's National Team unveiled its World Cup roster with a couple of notable snubs, Kimi Antonelli kept steamrolling the Canadian Grand Prix field, and Felix Rosenqvist delivered the most dramatic finish in the 110-year history of the Indianapolis 500.

If you've been away from the sport for a few weeks like the hosts were away from the mic, this recap gets you caught up fast — no fluff, just the results, the storylines, and the hosts' unfiltered opinions on all of it, from Celtic's uncertain summer ahead to whether Formula 1's new regulations have actually made racing worse.

This is a jam-packed episode covering the close of two European soccer seasons and a wild weekend in open-wheel racing, so let's get into it section by section.

Celtic Win the Scottish Premiership on a Historic Final Day

Scottish football hasn't had a final-day title decider like this in a generation — and the last time both title contenders met head-to-head on the final day was back in the early '90s. This year, Celtic and Hearts did exactly that at Celtic Park, and the result played out almost exactly as predicted on the show: a 3-1 Celtic win.

Hearts struck first near the end of the first half off a corner, and for a moment it looked like the fairytale was alive. But Celtic were awarded a penalty just before the break for a clear handball, and Arne Engels converted to make it 1-1. From there, the hosts called it early — once Celtic tied it at Celtic Park with that atmosphere behind them, there was never a real path back for Hearts. Daizen Maeda, who struggled for most of the campaign before catching fire in the final month, scored the eventual winner and sealed both the league and, days later, the Scottish Cup in a comfortable win over Dunfermline — completing the double.

Credit where it's due: Hearts pushed Celtic closer than any challenger has in 15 years, taking the title race to the final match of 38. It's proof that the Scottish Premiership isn't quite the two-horse race it's been painted as — but it also proves just how perfect a team has to be to actually dethrone Celtic or Rangers. With Maeda likely gone this summer and a new manager still to be named, the hosts aren't convinced Celtic improves on this next season. They scraped to the line this year. Next year, the whole squad basically needs rebuilding.

Arsenal Are Premier League Champions for the First Time Since 2004

It didn't happen on the pitch, and that's almost fitting for how this Arsenal title was won. Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth, and that result alone handed Arsenal the Premier League title without Arsenal even kicking a ball that day. It's Arsenal's first league championship since the Invincibles season of 2003-04, and it caps a run where they won their final five matches of the campaign to close it out in style.

The hosts didn't hold back on the victory lap here — all season long, Arsenal were labeled bottlers and chokers by pundits and fans alike, but the show's prediction stood firm: consistency wins leagues, and no team in England was more consistent than Arsenal this year. Now they head into Saturday's Champions League final against PSG with a chance to complete arguably the greatest season in club history.

The Premier League's depth is on full display too. The top five — Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United (a stunning turnaround from 15th last season), Aston Villa, and Liverpool — all qualify for next season's Champions League. Bournemouth, Sunderland, Brighton and Crystal Palace round out the European places. And here's the kicker: Aston Villa already won the Europa League, and Crystal Palace just won the Europa Conference League. If Arsenal beat PSG on Saturday, it's a complete sweep of every European trophy by Premier League clubs — as clear a statement of dominance as English football has ever made.

US Men's National Team World Cup Roster Reveal

With the World Cup two weeks out, Fox rolled out its roster reveal show from Pier 17 in New York — heavy on production, light on real news until the final 17 minutes when Mauricio Pochettino's squad actually walked out. The two biggest storylines from the snubs: Diego Luna, who was a key piece of last year's Gold Cup run, and midfielder Tanner Tessman both missed the cut. Adding insult to injury, reports indicate some players found out they didn't make it via email — not exactly the personal touch you'd hope for ahead of a home World Cup.

Pochettino brings serious pedigree — his Tottenham sides from the mid-2010s reached a Champions League final, and he later won a league title with PSG — but this is his first crack at managing any national team, let alone a World Cup. It's also widely reported this is a one-and-done arrangement, with Pochettino expected to take over at AC Milan once the tournament wraps.

The hosts also didn't hold back on ticket pricing, calling FIFA's dynamic pricing model a disaster for growing the game domestically. When you can't get into a US group stage match for under a grand, don't be surprised to see empty sections on TV — not because nobody cares, but because nobody can afford it.

Canadian Grand Prix: Antonelli Dominates as F1's New Era Struggles

The Canadian Grand Prix delivered a result that's becoming very familiar: Kimi Antonelli wins, extending Mercedes' perfect run to start this new regulation era. Lewis Hamilton crossed the line second — arguably his best drive since joining Ferrari — with Max Verstappen third. But the gaps told the real story: roughly ten seconds back to second, another eleven to third, then a massive thirty-three-second gap to the rest of a field that was largely lapped.

The hosts were split on how much to read into it. One take: this is simply what happens early in a new regulation cycle, when two and a half teams figure out the car and everyone else is playing catch-up. The other take: F1 overcorrected with this ruleset, and the racing — big, unwieldy cars, wild energy deployment swings, minimal passing — is a step backward from a 2024 season that produced nine different race winners.

Reliability was also a major theme. Six cars failed to finish: Sergio Perez (suspension failure), Lando Norris (power unit/electrical issue), George Russell (car simply gave out), plus Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, and Arvid Lindblad all retiring at various points. That's a brutal day of attrition for cars this early into a new formula.

Driver and Constructor Standings After Canada

Antonelli now leads with 131 points, a commanding gap over teammate George Russell's 88. Charles Leclerc and Hamilton sit third and fourth, with Norris and Oscar Piastri fifth and sixth. Verstappen is seventh, with a resurgent Pierre Gasly eighth for Alpine — a genuine surprise given Alpine's recent form. Ollie Bearman rounds out the top nine and Liam Lawson completes the top ten.

In constructors, Mercedes (219) has a commanding lead over Ferrari (147) and McLaren (106), with Red Bull a distant fourth on 57. Alpine, Racing Bulls, Haas, Williams, Audi, and Aston Martin fill out the rest of the order, with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll notably finishing four laps down but still crossing the line — reportedly "for the mechanics." Monaco is next on June 5th.

Felix Rosenqvist Wins the Closest Indy 500 Finish in History

If you only watch one motorsport event all year, this is the argument for why it should be the Indy 500. The 110th running produced the closest finish in the race's history, as Felix Rosenqvist passed David Malukas on the front stretch on the final lap to win by roughly two-tenths of a second for Meyer Shank Racing.

It's a redemption story for Rosenqvist, long regarded as blisteringly fast but snakebitten at the Brickyard, and it's a gutting near-miss for Malukas, who drove a flawless final stint for Team Penske and simply lost out on hybrid energy deployment in the final yards. As the hosts put it, there wasn't a single thing Malukas could have done differently — sometimes the universe just decides who crosses the line first.

The race had all the classic Indy 500 chaos: Alex Palou looked like he might cruise wire-to-wire before a crash with eight laps remaining brought out a red flag and reshuffled the entire strategy picture, putting Rosenqvist — who'd gambled on an alternate strategy — into position to strike. A second red flag ensured the race finished under green, IndyCar's preferred (and correct) call for a marquee event like this.

Positions three through five were separated by hundredths of a second: Scott McLaughlin, Pato O'Ward, and Marcus Armstrong. Rinus VeeKay, Palou, Santino Ferrucci (who still has never finished outside the top ten at Indy), Romain Grosjean, and Takuma Sato rounded out the top ten. The hosts called it possibly the best Indy 500 they've witnessed in 26 years of following the race.

Key Takeaways

Want the full blow-by-blow, including the hosts' take on FIFA's World Cup ticket pricing and whether George Russell can salvage his Mercedes season? Listen to the full episode of Tackling the Chicane and subscribe so you don't miss the next one — new equipment and a fresh setup are reportedly on the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Premier League in 2026?

Arsenal won the Premier League title in 2026, their first league championship since 2003-04. They clinched it when Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth, and closed out the season by winning their final five league matches.

Who won the Scottish Premiership title this season?

Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title, beating Hearts 3-1 on the final day of the season in a rare head-to-head title decider at Celtic Park. It's the first final-day title showdown between the two contenders since the early 1990s.

Who won the 2026 Indy 500?

Felix Rosenqvist won the 2026 Indianapolis 500 driving for Meyer Shank Racing, passing David Malukas on the front stretch on the final lap to win by roughly two-tenths of a second — the closest finish in the race's 110-year history.

How did Kimi Antonelli do at the Canadian Grand Prix?

Kimi Antonelli won the Canadian Grand Prix, extending Mercedes' unbeaten start to the 2026 F1 season. Lewis Hamilton finished second for Ferrari and Max Verstappen was third, with large time gaps back through the rest of the field.

Why did so many cars fail to finish the Canadian Grand Prix?

Six cars retired from the Canadian Grand Prix, including Sergio Perez (suspension failure), Lando Norris (power unit/electrical issue), and George Russell. The hosts attribute the wave of DNFs to F1's new regulations, with teams still working out reliability issues on the fresh power units and chassis.

Who was left off the US Men's National Team World Cup roster?

Diego Luna and midfielder Tanner Tessman were the two most notable omissions from Mauricio Pochettino's US Men's National Team World Cup roster, revealed at an event in New York two weeks before the tournament kicks off.

Arsenal's coronation, Celtic's nerve-shredding final day, and one of the great Indy 500 finishes in the race's history — Episode 168 covers a genuinely stacked stretch of sport, and the hosts don't pull punches on any of it, from Celtic's uncertain roster future to F1's rocky start under new regulations. Whether you're here for the soccer storylines or the racing recap, this is the episode that puts a bow on the European club season and sets the table for a jam-packed motorsport summer.

Catch the full conversation — including the Detroit Grand Prix preview and more on FIFA's World Cup ticketing mess — before the next episode drops.

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Catch the full conversation on Tackling the Chicane, Episode 168, right here: Arsenal are Premier League Champions, Celtic win it on the final day, Felix Rosenqvist delivers the milk to Meyer Shank, Antonelli keeps it rolling in F1.

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