JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Even while it was going on, it sometimes felt as if FIFA’s Club World Cup was battling for relevance. Speaking to reporters just a few minutes after Manchester City’s win over Urawa Red Diamonds in the semifinal, captain Kyle Walker reflected on a year in which Pep Guardiola’s team reached the tournament in Jeddah courtesy of their success in the Champions League six months earlier. –…
United States and former NJ/NY Gotham FC midfielder Kristie Mewis officially joined WSL side West Ham United on Friday. Mewis, 32, was a part of the UWSNT squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last summer, making a single appearance in the final minutes of the round of 16 game against Sweden and later scored a penalty in the shootout defeat. – Stream on ESPN+:…
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has said that, while he is not in favour of the Super League project, he liked that Europe’s top court had given UEFA “a bit of a shake” when it ruled that the governing body has been “abusing a dominant position” in its control of European football. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on Thursday found that FIFA’s and UEFA’s rules requiring new football competitions…
Christophe Galtier was cleared of accusations of racism on Thursday after the former Nice and Paris Saint-Germain coach stood trial on charges of psychological harassment and discrimination. Galtier was acquitted, French media reported, at a court in Nice nearly a week after he appeared at a one-day trial and denied accusations of racism during his time as coach of Nice from 2021-22. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)…
Conor Gallagher has been one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers this season — a homegrown player, regularly selected by England and deemed important enough by Stamford Bridge manager Mauricio Pochettino to wear the captain’s armband in recent weeks. Yet despite all of that, Pochettino has no idea whether Gallagher will still be at the club when the January transfer window closes. Welcome to the world of financial loopholes, of players…
Russia are expected to be granted clearance from FIFA and UEFA to play European opposition for the first time since being suspended from competitive football in 2022 after striking an agreement to face Serbia in March 2024, sources have told ESPN. The Russian Football Union (RFU) has been banned from FIFA and UEFA competitions since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with all national teams prohibited from competing…
Halil Umut Meler, the referee punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca after a match in the Turkish Super Lig, has said he “will not forgive” his assailant in an interview with Turkish media. “No, I did not forgive [Koca], I will not forgive,” Meler told Hurriyet. “The person who did this punched me, I collapsed and fell to the ground. But the actual kicking while I was on the…
Conversations between Spain’s referees and Video Assistant Referees [VAR] will be made public under a new agreement between LaLiga and the Spanish football federation [RFEF], the two bodies announced in a joint statement on Tuesday. Discussions which take place between officials when an incident has been reviewed using the pitchside monitor will be made available to broadcasters after the end of each day. – Stream LIVE: Barcelona vs. Almeria, Wednesday…
Mauricio Pochettino and Eddie Howe have both condemned a Chelsea fan who confronted Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka during the Blues’ EFL Cup quarterfinal win on Tuesday night. A supporter entered the field of play and ran into Dúbravka seconds after Mykhailo Mudryk scored a stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw and take the game to penalties. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Callum Wilson, who opened the…
Barcelona Femení’s Champions League-winning coach Jonatan Giráldez has confirmed he will leave the club after receiving an offer from “outside of Europe” amid reports he will move to the NWSL next year. Giráldez, 32, will remain in charge of Barça until the end of the campaign when his contract expires. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) – ESPN FC Women’s Rank: World’s 50 best soccer players of 2023…