Los Angeles (AFP) – A new-look Atlanta United launch the defence of their Major League Soccer crown on Sunday as the new season kicks off with FC Cincinnati looking to become the latest expansion side to make a mark on the competition. Less than three months after Atlanta crowned their meteoric rise with victory in […]

Asuncion (AFP) – CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation, on Thursday rejected a US proposal for a new intercontinental tournament next year, noting that it would overlap with next year's Copa America and did not have FIFA's approval. Carlos Cordeiro, the head of the US Soccer Federation, had written to the 10 federations that make […]

Paris (AFP) – His signing at the start of the season was ridiculed by many, but Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has succeeded in winning over the supporters at Paris Saint-Germain as he stands in for the French champions' injured superstars. The giant Cameroon international forward joined PSG just as the transfer window was closing last August, […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham could dream of an unlikely Premier League title challenge just a week ago but back-to-back defeats against Burnley and Chelsea mean their top-four place is in danger as they prepare to host Arsenal. Spurs' lead over their north London rivals is down to four points, with Manchester United and Chelsea also […]

Madrid (AFP) – After knocking Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona now have the opportunity to send their rivals packing in the title race too. Barca's 3-0 victory on Wednesday means Barca will return to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday with a spring in their step, even if Madrid were the better […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes Romelu Lukaku is ready to seize a starring role in his Manchester United revolution after the Belgium striker finally showed signs of emerging from his prolonged slump. United extended their impressive Premier League run with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday that puts a […]

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has challenged Riyad Mahrez to play a key role in Manchester City's quadruple bid as the club's record signing struggles to live up to his £60 million ($79 million) price tag. City were far from their imperious best in Wednesday's narrow 1-0 win over West Ham, but the […]

London (AFP) – As the Premier League title race gathers pace and the fight for top-four places heats up, two of English football's biggest derbies will play a key role in the mounting drama. At the top, leaders Liverpool, one point ahead of Manchester City going into this weekend, make the short journey across Stanley […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy said Thursday they have transferred Norwegian international Ola Kamara to Shenzhen FC of the Chinese Super League for a reported fee of $3.5 million. A brief statement from the Galaxy did not name a fee, but MLSsoccer.com, citing an anonymous source, said Shenzhen paid the […]

Laval (France) (AFP) – Germany laid down a marker 100 days ahead of this year's women's World Cup with a 1-0 friendly victory over tournament hosts France in Laval on Thursday. Corinne Diacre's France will be hoping to make it a men's and women's double by lifting the World Cup for the first time in […]

Caracas (AFP) – As dusk creeps into the streets, Caracas becomes a ghost town. But something is moving tonight in the shadow of the football stadium. Fans float in small groups along the sidewalks. The green of the floodlit pitch gleams through gaps in the grey concrete edifice. FC Caracas need to beat their Peruvian […]

Madrid (AFP) – Valencia set up a Copa del Rey final clash with Barcelona on Thursday as Rodrigo's second-half goal sealed a 1-0 second-leg win over Real Betis at the Mestalla. A 2-2 first-leg draw had given Valencia the edge as they looked to deny Betis a home final on May 25, and Marcelino's men […]

London (AFP) – Emiliano Sala, the footballer killed in a plane crash last month, had been "abandoned" by his new club Cardiff City, a former agent who helped his son act in the player's transfer said on Thursday. Willie McKay, whose son Mark McKay had a temporary mandate from Sala's previous club Nantes to negotiate […]

Lausanne (AFP) – An offer to invest $25 billion in an expanded Club World Cup — a project backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino — has been rejected, various sources said on Thursday. Infantino hopes to expand the existing, annual seven-team Club World Cup by turning it into a 24-club competition played every four years, […]

London (AFP) – Claudio Ranieri's brief spell as manager of Premier League strugglers Fulham ended on Thursday when the Italian was sacked after only four months in charge. The 67-year-old Italian, who memorably guided Leicester City to the 2016 Premier League title, failed to ignite a Fulham revival after he replaced the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic […]