Glasgow (AFP) – Hearts owner Ann Budge questioned on Sunday whether Scottish football can "resume any time this year" even while talks continue over salvaging the country's top-flight Premiership season from the coronavirus pandemic. Budge, who has warned her players to accept temporary wage cuts or receive nothing at all, told Scotland on Sunday: "I […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic says he is "optimistic" about extending club captain Manuel Neuer's contract, adding in an interview with Sunday's Die Welt that discrepancies had been "clarified internally". "So I hope we'll be able to extend Manuel's contract," Salihamidzic said, with the Bayern goalkeeper's current deal expiring in […]

London (AFP) – Everton said they are "appalled" at one of their players widely reported to be Italian international Moise Kean hosting a house party contravening the social distancing measures recommended by the British government due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 20-year-old striker filmed himself hosting the party, the Daily Mirror reported. The Mirror says […]

Minsk (AFP) – As Belarus resists imposing a lockdown to combat the coronavirus, its football league has stumbled into the international limelight as Europe's only remaining top-flight competition. But players are worried about the health risks and only diehard fans are braving matches. FC Slutsk fan Yahor Khavanski, 26, is "a bit afraid" but could […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal's squad will be allowed back to their training ground from next week, although the club stressed they would still have to maintain British government guidelines designed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The Premier League side's players will have access to training pitches but on a strict rotational basis that […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea have said they won't impose a pay cut on their first-team squad in response to the coronavirus outbreak. But the Premier League side added Saturday they had asked players to continue donating to charities during the ongoing pandemic. It has been reported the west London club have been in talks with […]

London (AFP) – Declan Rice has said one of the "nicer" consequences of the coronavirus outbreak is that it has temporarily removed the "stress" of West Ham's fight against Premier League relegation. The Hammers were above the bottom three on goal difference with nine games to play when the English top-flight was suspended last month […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has said talk of mega-money football transfer moves "ignore the realities that face the sport" because of the coronavirus outbreak. United have been linked with a £200 million ($247 million, 228 million euros) bid to lure England captain Harry Kane away from Tottenham Hotspur. But Woodward's […]

London (AFP) – Premier League strugglers Norwich City have defended their decision to use the British government's furlough scheme for 200 non-playing staff after the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. With vast swathes of British industry shut down because of the coronavirus, the UK government launched a scheme that sees 80 percent […]

London (AFP) – The English Premier League are eyeing a resumption of the season on June 8, behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, and reaching a climax on July 27, according to The Times. The paper claims football chiefs, along with other sports governing bodies, have been holding talks with the British government […]

La Plata (Argentina) (AFP) – Out on the pitch, they finally can feel like themselves. In addition to the sheer joy that football brings them, Mara Gomez and Marcos Rojo have the extra satisfaction of knowing that after a long and difficult journey, they are blazing a trail for transgender players in Argentina. Tall, slim […]

Paris (AFP) – Footballers in France's top flight will return to their clubs the week starting May 11 to undergo "full medical checkups" with a view to restarting Ligue 1 in June pending government clearance, the French league (LFP) said Friday. The LFP board met to review the main points of a draft document on […]

The Hague (AFP) – The Dutch football federation (KNVB) called an end to the 2019-20 season on Friday, as the Eredivisie became the first top European league called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. No team will be declared champions after Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were left level on points at the top of the […]

The Hague (AFP) – The Dutch football federation (KNVB) called an end to the 2019-20 season on Friday, as the Eredivisie became the first top European league called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. No team will be declared champions after Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were left level on points at the top of the […]

London (AFP) – An independent investigation into the way the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) handled a controversial vote among its member clubs over ending the 2019-20 season has found "no evidence of improper behaviour". The SPFL board commissioned auditing firm Deloitte to examine the circumstances surrounding Dundee's vote after it came in for stinging […]