Paris (AFP) – FIFA, the governing body of world football, wants to double the number of women players, saying on Wednesday that it has set out "concrete projects" to achieve that goal. FIFA is aiming for 60 million women footballers worldwide by 2026, while professionalising clubs and national leagues. "The three overriding objectives that we […]

Paris (AFP) – The anti-fraud operation that shook Belgian football on Wednesday is a reminder that the manipulation of matches, linked to betting or not, spares no country. Here is a brief tour of the global match-fixing scandals. – The Italian miniseries – Italian football has had a series of scandals. "Totonero", a play on […]

Brussels (AFP) – Police raids across Europe on Wednesday sent shockwaves through Belgium's top football league as prosecutors targeted the country's biggest clubs over alleged fraudulent transfers and match-fixing. A total of 220 police officers carried out 44 house searches across Belgium and in France, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia, Belgian prosecutors said. "A […]

Madrid (AFP) – Former Almeria coach Francisco Rodriguez was on Wednesday named the new boss of rock-bottom La Liga side Huesca to replace the sacked Leo Franco. The 40-year-old's first match in charge will be on October 21 at home to Espanyol now coached by Joan Francesc Ferrer 'Rubi' who left Huesca in June after […]

Berlin (AFP) – Manchester City winger Leroy Sane said on Wednesday that he plans to use his World Cup disappointment as motivation and seize his chance to impress Germany coach Joachim Loew in the upcoming Nations League clashes against the Netherlands and France. After being voted the Premier League's Young Player of the Year last […]

Milan (AFP) – Manchester United are in trouble and fans of Italian champions Juventus are right to dream of signing Paul Pogba, France's World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday. "All of Manchester United are in trouble. Pogba is still the same and is one of the best midfielders in the world," Deschamps told Italian newspaper Gazzetta […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi's stellar career will be the subject of a new Cirque du Soleil show next year, the five-time world player of the year said Wednesday. "I am proud to announce the creation of a new Cirque du Soleil show in 2019 based on the story of my […]

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Spain will not have to face Gareth Bale in Thursday's glamour friendly, but Wales striker Sam Vokes insists the Real Madrid star's absence will not mean an easy ride for the visitors in Cardiff. Bale has been struggling with a groin injury and aggravated the problem during Real's defeat at […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian Premier League chiefs have requested a lifetime ban for disgraced footballers Pavel Mamaev and Alexander Kokorin following an unprovoked attack on two government officials. Krasnodar midfielder Mamaev and Zenit Saint Petersburg forward Kokorin are facing a five-year jail term after video footage caught them attacking two Russian trade ministry officials in […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis on Wednesday accused former coach Maurizio Sarri of only being interested in money and predicted that new manager Carlo Ancelotti was in for the long haul as the southerners chase a first Serie A title since 1990 and dream of Champions League success. "I thought I had met a coach […]

Milan (AFP) – Former Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura has been appointed coach of struggling Chievo following Lorenzo D'Anna's sacking, the Serie A club confirmed on Wednesday. Ventura has been out of work since being fired as Italy coach after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany coach Joachim Loew has called in reinforcements for the upcoming Nations League matches against France and the Netherlands with goalkeeper Bernd Leno and winger Serge Gnabry covering for injury. Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka and Eintracht Frankfurt shot-stopper Kevin Trapp are both sidelined, so Loew has called up Leno and Gnabry for […]

Sydney (AFP) – Sprint superstar Usain Bolt looks set to make his first start as a professional footballer Friday, a challenge he said could determine if he has a future in the sport of his boyhood dreams. Bolt said the coach of his Central Coast Mariners, Mike Mulvey, had indicated he would be in the […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Liverpool star Mohamed Salah gets a chance to rediscover his scoring touch when he plays for Egypt against eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) in the Africa Cup of Nations this week. After notching 44 goals for the English Premier League club in all competitions last season, the 26-year-old has managed only three this […]

Rijeka (Croatia) (AFP) – Croatia's first fixture back on home soil after reaching the World Cup final should be a homecoming for heroes who defied the odds to carry a nation of just four million to the biggest game in football. Instead, not one fan will be allowed in to see their country's World Cup […]