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Football’s player unions have secured an apparent victory in their battle for mandatory rest periods after a meeting in New York between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and senior figures from global player unions resulted in an agreement on the need for standardized player breaks. Amid concerns of player burnout, players’ groups had demanded action on player welfare following FIFA’s decision to stage this summer’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup during…

Wrexham are touring Australia and New Zealand for the very first time. While the Championship awaits the Welsh side in 2025-26, they will first have to play three A-League clubs across three cities on their preseason tour. ESPN will be with them every step of the way as Phil Parkinson, Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac & Co. plot their path to the Premier League. MELBOURNE, Australia — After a week in…

It’s the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday, and Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea will battle it out at MetLife Stadium for the honor of becoming the first winner of the 32-team tournament. After a monthlong competition in the United States, which has at times been overshadowed by low attendance, weather-enforced delays and extreme heat, as well as the pre-tournament concerns of player burnout, either UEFA Champions League winners PSG…

Crystal Palace have been demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) ruled the Premier League club was too closely linked to Lyon. Palace are now expected to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as has been the case with the other clubs excluded this summer. Nottingham Forest, who were due to enter the Conference League in the…

Arsene Wenger has dismissed Jurgen Klopp’s criticism of FIFA’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup, calling the tournament a “fantastic competition” and emphasising the support it has received from participating teams, players, and managers. Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, described the expanded summer competition as “the worst idea ever invented” in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt two weeks ago. Wenger, now FIFA’s chief of global football development, countered these…

Olivia Smith is set to become the first player in the women’s game to command a transfer fee of £1 million ($1.4 million) as Arsenal seek to secure her signature from Liverpool, a source has told ESPN. The news was first reported by The Guardian, and the move is set to establish Canada international Smith, 20, as the world record transfer. It is understood the fee will exceed the record…

Xabi Alonso has said Real Madrid are still looking to make additions to their squad for the upcoming season, after their comprehensive 4-0 defeat to Paris-Saint Germain in the Club World Cup semifinal. “We haven’t talked about it during the Club World Cup but from now on we’re open to making improvements,” the Madrid manager said. “We are always looking to improve and there’s room for improvement.” Meanwhile, Luka Modric’s…

MPs voted in favour of establishing a professional football regulator under a “Football Governance Bill” that would see clubs handed operating licences. The bill is set to be enshrined into law after receiving 415 votes to 98 (a 317 majority) in the House of Commons. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the bill, which will create a regulator for the Premier League and English Football League (EFL), is desigend to ensure…

Arsenal have submitted an initial bid for Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, while Manchester United are in a four-way battle to sign Southampton’s Tyler Dibling. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe. Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men’s grades | Women’s grades – Source: Tottenham agree £55m deal for Kudus – Sources: Former Liverpool captain Henderson to leave Ajax – Source: Newcastle agree £55m…

Wales players and staff are all “OK” after their team bus was involved in a collision in St. Gallen, Switzerland on Tuesday, manager Rhian Wilkinson has said. The bus was travelling towards Kybunpark Stadium as the side prepare for their second Euro 2025 match against France when it was involved in a crash. A statement from the Football Association Wales (FAW) said “all passengers on the Cymru National Team bus…