Glasgow (AFP) – Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster says clubs will consider a potential restructuring of the divisions in the aftermath of the season being abandoned. Hearts are aiming to revive plans to reform Scottish football following their relegation from the Premiership when teams voted to end the season due to the […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is optimistic about the chances of completing the Premier League season as the champions-elect returned to training in small groups on Wednesday. Klopp's side were just two victories away from ending a 30-year wait to win the title when the English top-flight was shutdown more than two months […]

London (AFP) – Watford defender Adrian Mariappa said news that he had tested positive for coronavirus came as a "big surprise" as he has felt no ill effects. The 33-year-old was one of three positive tests at Watford with the other two among staff members. The Hornets accounted for half the six COVID-19 cases detected […]

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane expressed admiration at both the physical and mental form in which his Real Madrid players have returned from the coronavirus lockdown and vowed they would give everything to win a trophy. "The players have worked well from home and that's why they have come back on great form, this is […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is optimistic about the chances of completing the Premier League season as the champions-elect returned to training in small groups on Wednesday. Klopp's side were just two wins away from ending a 30-year wait to win the title when the English top-flight was shutdown more than two months […]

Paris (AFP) – The head of global players' union FIFPro has given his backing to footballers who do no want to return to training because of coronavirus fears and cautioned that it would be "inhumane and unacceptable" if they were to be punished for taking such a stance. Jonas Baer-Hoffmann's comments come after Troy Deeney […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has signed a new deal with Bayern Munich that ties him to the club until 2023, the Bundesliga champions said on Wednesday. The announcement ends weeks of speculation over the Bayern captain's future, with widespread reports that talks between player and club had hit the rocks. "During the […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham have launched an investigation after Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier appeared to flout social-distancing rules for a third time by getting a haircut during the coronavirus lockdown. Aurier posted an Instagram photo on Tuesday showing off his new haircut and tagged the barber Justin Carr in his post. "Yes Sir @justscuts […]

Lisbon (AFP) – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is aiming to finish this year's Champions League by the end of August as football in Europe slowly starts to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic. "Our plan is to finish it between now and the end of August," Ceferin said in an interview with Portuguese sports daily […]

Hong Kong (AFP) – Livening up sport without fans is a challenge for competitions returning after the coronavirus, and organisers have tried several ways to make empty stadiums more appealing. After South Korean football club FC Seoul was accused of placing sex dolls in the stands, AFP Sport looks at some of the innovations: – […]

London (AFP) – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is confident "good old football with fans will come back very soon" despite the chaos caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Domestic and continental club competitions were halted across Europe in mid-March due to the COVID-19 crisis and Euro 2020 was postponed. The Bundesliga made a successful return to […]

London (AFP) – England defender Danny Rose says players are being treated like "lab rats" after Watford and Burnley revealed they were among the Premier League clubs affected by six positive tests for the coronavirus. Teams have started socially-distanced training in small groups this week, but several Premier League stars have expressed concerns about plans […]

Brussels (AFP) – Roberto Martinez has extended his contract as Belgium coach until 2022 to take him up to the World Cup in Qatar, the Belgian football federation announced Wednesday. The 46-year-old former Everton manager took over as head coach of the Belgian national side in 2016, leading them to third in the 2018 World […]

Seoul (AFP) – A top South Korean football club accused of using sex dolls to fill empty seats in its stands will face disciplinary proceedings this week, K-league officials said. With fans banned from matches because of the coronavirus, FC Seoul came under fire for deploying dozens of silicone spectators wearing T-shirts or holding placards […]

Shanghai (AFP) – The Chinese Super League (CSL) will be stripped of exuberant goal celebrations — and fans — as it attempts to start during the coronavirus pandemic, reports said on Wednesday. The CSL has ambitions of launching the season in late June or early July, and Chinese football authorities have drawn up detailed plans […]