Barcelona‘s squad spending limit has risen by almost €100 million ($116m) to €433m ($501m), LaLiga announced on Tuesday, increasing the Spanish champions’ chances of being able to invest in the squad this summer.

Real Madrid still have the highest cap in the league at €761m ($880m), with Atlético Madrid ranking third behind the Clásico rivals with a limit of €336m ($389m).

Villarreal (€173m, $200m) and Athletic Club (€132m, $153m) complete the top five, while Levante (€17m, $19.6m), Sevilla (€22m, $25m) and Getafe (€34m, $39m) are operating with the three lowest caps in the division.

The league’s squad cost limits, which are made public after each transfer window, denote the maximum amount that each club is permitted to spend on first-team players, as well as coaching staff, reserve and youth teams.

Barça’s new limit represents an increase of €82m ($95m) on the €351m ($406m) cap they had at the start of the season and brings fresh hope of new signings.

The Catalan club remain in excess of their limit, with club sources confirming spending on the squad is still over €500m ($579) annually, but they are getting ever closer to breaking even.

Until they reach that point, league regulations limit them to investing only a percentage of what they raise or save on new recruits.

Barça are currently in an electoral period, and therefore without a permanent president, but all three of the final candidates have claimed the club will be in a position to make signings by the summer.

Joan Laporta, who is seeking to be reelected for a second successive term, has said the team’s return to Spotify Camp Nou will boost spending capacity, while Víctor Font said he is already exploring “three or four” potential signings.

Marc Ciria, meanwhile, told ESPN Barça will be able to compete with anyone if he is elected.

“In terms of signings, under our financial plan, I expect to have the situation fully normalised so that we can go to the market on equal terms with any other club or institution,” he told ESPN.

“Barça will have the capacity to make relevant signings again to be able to win the next five Champions Leagues — a competition which we have not won in 11 years.”

ESPN has previously revealed that Barça are keen to strengthen in a variety of positions. A striker, a centre-back, a left winger and depth at full’back are all areas club sources say they will target.

There are no new teams in this week’s poll, and the top three squads held their places. After a week of blowout wins (that we will get to below), Oklahoma jumped Nebraska for the No. 4 ranking. Alabama and UCLA also edged closer to the top of the table. For now, there hasn’t been much of a shakeup, but with still-undefeated Tennessee playing also-ranked LSU in a three-game series, perhaps this week could be a chaotic one for the best team in the nation.

Player to watch

Kendall Wells, C, Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s offense, as we’ll get to below, has been on fire this season, and Wells has been just as responsible for its performance as anybody. The catcher already has a whopping 15 home runs on the season. For reference, Oklahoma’s next opponent, North Texas, has 19 home runs on the season…as a team.

Top moment

WHAT A NIGHT 🤩

The Sooners scored 21 runs in a singular inning!#NCAASoftball x 🎥 SECN+ / @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/80cT5DjQZz

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) March 1, 2026

In the third inning of a 29-6 win over Alabama State on Saturday, Oklahoma drove in a stunning 21 runs, the second-highest single-inning run total in NCAA softball history. The historic frame included two grand slams and 24 plate appearances.

Game to watch

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 LSU
6 p.m. on Friday (SEC Network+)

Undefeated Tennessee has already notched five wins against ranked opponents this season and will look to continue that streak in a three-game series against LSU that begins on Friday. The Tigers, on the other hand, have lost their only two ranked matchups–in a tight loss to Duke and a shutout against UCLA. Can they get a statement win against the Lady Vols?

How to watch

Everything college softball on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big 12 Now on ESPN+, ESPN3, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACCNX is accessible here, in addition to being available on the ESPN App.

What’s the full schedule?

You can check out the complete scoreboard here to stay up to date this spring.

Subscribe to ESPN | Stream college softball on ESPN

Week 4 Top 25

Here is the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 ranking, plus each team’s record and next game.
All times Eastern.

1. Tennessee

Previous rank: 1
Record: 19-0

Next game: Tuesday vs. Belmont, 5 p.m., SEC Network+

2. Texas Tech

Previous rank: 2
Record: 22-1

Next game: Friday at Houston, 7 p.m., ESPN+

3. Texas

Previous rank: 3
Record: 19-1

Next game: Friday at South Carolina, 6 p.m.

4. Oklahoma

Previous rank: 5
Record: 19-2

Next game: Tuesday at North Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN+

5. Nebraska

Previous rank: 4
Record: 14-5

Next game: Thursday vs. South Dakota State, 5 p.m., Big Ten Plus

6. Alabama

Previous rank: 7
Record: 20-0

Next game: Friday at Ole Miss, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

7. UCLA

Previous rank: 9
Record: 18-3

Next game: Friday vs. Wisconsin, 10 p.m.

8. Florida

Previous rank: 6
Record: 23-1

Next game: Saturday vs. Missouri, 1 p.m., SEC Network+

9. Arkansas

Previous rank: 8
Record: 19-1

Next game: Friday vs. Georgia, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

10. Florida State

Previous rank: 10
Record: 17-4

Next game: Wednesday vs. Jacksonville University, 4 p.m.

11. Virginia Tech

Previous rank: 12
Record: 16-2

Next game: Thursday vs. Michigan, 6:30 p.m.

T12. Georgia

Previous rank: 11
Record: 17-5

Next game: Wednesday vs. Georgia State, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

T12. Oklahoma State

Previous rank: 16
Record: 15-5

Next game: Tuesday vs. Missouri State, 7 p.m., ESPN+

14. Arizona

Previous rank: 14
Record: 17-5

Next game: Thursday vs. BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+

15. Texas A&M

Previous rank: 15
Record: 15-7

Next game: Wednesday vs. Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

16. LSU

Previous rank: T17
Record: 17-4

Next game: Friday at Tennessee, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

17. Mississippi State

Previous rank: 19
Record: 18-2

Next game: Wednesday at UAB, 6 p.m., ESPN+

18. Oregon

Previous rank: T17
Record: 13-6

Next game: Wednesday at Oregon State, 9 p.m., ESPN+

19. Stanford

Previous rank: 13
Record: 11-6

Next game: Friday vs. Pitt, 9 p.m.

20. Virginia

Previous rank: 21
Record: 19-1

Next game: Tuesday at Radford, 2 p.m., ESPN+

21. Arizona State

Previous rank: 23
Record: 19-3

Next game: Friday vs. Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+

22. Washington

Previous rank: 24
Record: 15-6

Next game: Tuesday vs. Seattle, 9:30 p.m., Big Ten Plus

23. Grand Canyon

Previous rank: 25
Record: 22-0

Next game: Thursday vs. Wisconsin, 5 p.m.

24. South Carolina

Previous rank: 22
Record: 15-6

Next game: Friday vs. Texas, 6 p.m.

25. Duke

Previous rank: 20
Record: 12-9

Next game: Friday at Cal, 5 p.m.

• Coach Hesson, Aqib Javed interfered in selection matters: sources.
• Dar complains 20 players selected, but captain, coach chose wrong 15.
• Salman Agha showed no resistance on selection matter, says Dar
  

KARACHI: Following Pakistan’s poor performance in the Super Four stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the team’s exit from the event, a member of the national selection committee, Aleem Dar, has decided to resign.

According to highly reliable sources, the ICC Elite Panel umpire stepped down due to extraordinary interference in selection matters by head coach Mike Hesson and the silence of the influential selection committee member Aaqib Javed.

Aleem Dar complains that selectors had announced Pakistan’s best 20 players, but then the captain and coach chose the wrong 15, followed by incorrect selections in the playing XI. As a result, selectors are left only to face criticism.

During the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Aleem Dar had expressed reservations over the inclusion of former captain Babar Azam and all-rounder Shadab Khan in the squad despite their lack of performance. However, Captain Salman Ali Agha, who, according to Aleem Dar, did not even merit a place in the squad as captain along with Aaqib Javed, showed no resistance. Coach Mike Hesson openly had the final say in selection matters.

Aleem Dar had also proposed that experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan should be played at number six instead of wicketkeeper Usman Khan. His stance was that if Shadab and Babar could be part of the team despite their underperformance, then Mohammad Rizwan also deserved another opportunity.

In the current circumstances, Aleem Dar’s resignation is being viewed as a principled decision. He believes that Allah has granted him great respect through cricket, and he does not wish to work as a puppet; therefore, it is better for him to step down.