FIFA said Friday that it had received 5 million ticket requests in the first 24 hours of the third phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup, despite widespread backlash from supporter groups to the latest prices. World soccer’s governing body said the figures showed that “demand from around the world reached extraordinary levels,” as fans were able to request tickets for specific matchups for the first time following…
Vincent Kompany shrugged off talk linking him with Manchester City ahead of Bayern Munich’s DFB Pokal clash with Union Berlin. The Bayern boss was asked about comments from former president Uli Hoeness saying Pep Guardiola has informed Kompany he will be his successor as City manager. Speaking at a news conference, former City defender Kompany said: “I’ve often said, I’m not here to comment on Uli Hoeness’ statements. “I have…
The Premier League is back in overdrive! After a packed weekend, the teams are back in action again midweek. The last round saw 10-man Chelsea hold Arsenal to a 1-1 draw, Manchester United encapsulate their current situation with a Jekyll and Hyde performance against Crystal Palace, Liverpool find a way to get back to winning ways with Mohamed Salah on the bench, Sunderland continue their remarkable season with a late…
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has said he has “no doubt” about the quality of teammate Florian Wirtz following his impressive display in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United. Liverpool returned to winning ways at the London Stadium, with Wirtz delivering arguably his best performance since joining the club in an initial £100 million ($132m) move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. The 22-year-old has been heavily criticised for…
What a weekend of soccer fun across Europe’s top five leagues! The Premier League’s big game involved two title-chasing London sides and it played out to a fiery, tempestuous 1-1 draw that should leave Chelsea and Arsenal fans happy … even though it won’t. In Spain, Xabi Alonso continues to make heavy work of evolving Real Madrid into his style, as they dropped yet more points in a draw with…
Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí is set for a spell on the sidelines after breaking a bone in her leg ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Nations League final second leg against Germany in Madrid. The Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] confirmed on Sunday that the three-time Ballon d’Or winner “fractured her fibula” in training this weekend. Bonmatí, 27, will now return to her club Barcelona for further tests which will determine how long…
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde is on the radar of Manchester United after a bust-up with his manager, while Paris Saint-Germain are considering a move for United striker Marcus Rashford, who is on loan at Barcelona. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe. Transfers home page | Men’s grades | Women’s grades – Xabi Alonso: Madrid dressing room ‘solid’ despite rift talk – Slot…
Daniel Farke suggested Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down with a “fake injury” that allowed Pep Guardiola to give his players a team talk before they rallied to snatch a 3-2 Premier League win over Leeds. After City bossed the first half at the Etihad Stadium, leading through Phil Foden’s goal just 59 seconds in before Josko Gvardiol doubled the advantage, momentum shifted entirely in the second half as…
Iran has decided to boycott the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington next week because the U.S. denied visas to members of its delegation, the state-run IRNA news agency reported on Friday. The agency quoted Iranian soccer federation spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi as saying that officials faced visa obstacles that go beyond sports considerations. There was no immediate comment from the White House. – FIFA alters WC draw format so top…
Germany were once again haunted by their greatest weakness: wastefulness in the final third. On paper, they outperformed Spain in the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Nations League final, yet their inability to convert a host of promising chances left them with only a 0-0 stalemate, leaving everything to play for in the second leg. Ordinarily, a goalless draw against the reigning world champions in the opening leg of…