Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Brazil's football chief reiterated Wednesday that Neymar would play in the Copa America despite a rape scandal, a day after a senior official said he was willing to "bet" the star striker would quit. Neymar has dominated headlines since Saturday after he posted a video on Instagram denying raping a […]

Paris (AFP) – African football's governing body has ordered the abandoned second leg of the CAF Champions League final between Esperance and Wydad Casablanca to be replayed at a neutral venue after this month's Cup of Nations. The turmoil in Africa's premier club competition comes just over two weeks before the start of an expanded […]

Guimaraes (Portugal) (AFP) – England's transformation from perennial flops at major tournaments to World Cup semi-finalists under Gareth Southgate helped inspire a similar upturn in the Netherlands fortunes, Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said on Wednesday. The Dutch failed to qualify for the last two major tournaments, but have bounced back by beating world champions France […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – A rape lawsuit filed in the United States against Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has not been dropped, the plaintiff's lawyer said Wednesday, dismissing a report to the contrary. "The charges were not dropped," said Larissa Drohobyczer, attorney for Kathryn Mayorga, who claims she was sexually assaulted by the Portuguese soccer star […]

Paris (AFP) – Gianluigi Buffon said Wednesday that he will return to Italy after agreeing to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the month, with the World Cup winner looking for "new challenges" in his home country after a year in the French capital. Ligue 1 champions PSG had announced earlier that both club […]

London (AFP) – England forward Fran Kirby's first thought if she and her team-mates lift the Women's World Cup in France on July 7 will be for her late mother, Denise. The 25-year-old Chelsea star told The Players' Tribune the impact of her mum's death after suffering a brain haemorrhage only really hit her years […]

Paris (AFP) – Gianluigi Buffon will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer after it was agreed to not renew the former Italy captain's contract, the French champions announced on Wednesday. "Following joint discussions, Paris Saint-Germain and Gianluigi Buffon have agreed to not renew the legendary goalkeeper's contract which expires on 30 June 2019," PSG said in […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne said Wednesday that Maurizio Sarri would be 'betraying' his former club should he agree to coach rivals Juventus. Chelsea manager Sarri has been strongly linked with the Juventus job left vacant after Massimiliano Allegri's departure. Insigne played under Sarri at Napoli between 2015 and 2018, finishing twice runners-up […]

Paris (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes his new Club World Cup could generate as much as $50 billion in commercial income when it starts in 2021. Infantino was re-elected unopposed for a second term as FIFA president in Paris on Wednesday and will now press on with plans already approved for the expanded […]

Paris (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Wednesday he would welcome a Chinese bid to stage the 2030 World Cup after the country was named to host the Asian Cup in 2023. Qatar will host the 2022 finals, before a joint North American tournament in 2026 in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Bids […]

Madrid (AFP) – Julen Lopetegui is ready to put his nightmare six months with Spain and Real Madrid behind him after being appointed head coach of Sevilla. Lopetegui was sacked by Spain on the eve of last year's World Cup for agreeing to take charge of Real Madrid, where he then lasted only four and […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has hit out at Emmanuel Macron after the French president's criticism of proposed changes to the Champions League. "It's a political interference into sports. It's not appropriate," Ceferin said at the FIFA Congress on Wednesday in Paris, where Gianni Infantino was re-elected unopposed for a second term as […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri gave the strongest hint yet that he wishes to return to Italy and probably take the Juventus job by saying he misses his friends and elderly parents. The 60-year-old former Napoli coach has been strongly linked with the Juventus job left vacant after Massimiliano Allegri resigned following a […]

Stockholm (AFP) – Lennart Johansson, the former UEFA president acclaimed as father of the Champions League, has died aged 89, the Swedish football federation said on Wednesday. "Swedish football is in mourning. Lennart Johansson has died. He passed away on the evening of June 4 aged 89 after a short illness," the federation said. Johansson's […]

Paris (AFP) – Gianni Infantino was re-elected Wednesday by acclamation for a second term as FIFA president at the Congress of world football's governing body in Paris. The 49 year-old, who took charge of FIFA in February 2016 after the departure of the disgraced Sepp Blatter, stood unopposed for a new four-year term which will […]