Berlin (AFP) – German football is famed for its vibrant fan culture and member-owned clubs, but as the Bundesliga braces itself for a major financial hit in the coming months, could the coronavirus put an end to fan power? Many clubs are fearing for their financial futures in the crisis, prompting fresh calls to reform […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Women players suing US Soccer say in court documents filed Tuesday that the federation has acknowledged the jobs of men and women footballers require equal skill. The language seemed to signal a decrease in tension between the parties after language in documents filed by federation lawyers earlier in March provoked widespread […]

London (AFP) – Norwich became on Tuesday the latest Premier League club to furlough non-playing staff in response to financial concerns caused by the coronavirus. The top division's bottom club will utilise the British Government's coronavirus job retention scheme, which allows staff to claim 80 percent of their wages, to a maximum of £2,500 ($3,100) […]

London (AFP) – The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday a £61 million ($76 million) aid package in response to the "once in a generation" challenge of the coronavirus outbreak. The 18 first-class counties and their boards, as well as the MCC, will immediately each receive a share of some £40m in […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek admits battling to return from a serious Achilles injury while dealing with back problems has been a draining experience. Loftus-Cheek has been sidelined since suffering a torn Achilles tendon in a Chelsea friendly against New England Revolution in Boston last May. The 24-year-old England international was close to […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keeping in touch with his Manchester United stars as he deals with the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus. The Premier League has been postponed until at least April 30 because of the pandemic and it is feared the season will be delayed again when English football's stakeholders meet […]

The Hague (AFP) – Ajax have terminated the contract of former wonderkid Abdelhak Nouri, severely brain damaged and in a coma since collapsing three seasons ago, the Amsterdam club confirmed Tuesday. The club intervened ahead of the July 1 date when the contract was due to renew for the 22-year-old who collapsed while warming up for […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Scotland boss Steve Clarke and Scottish Football Association (SFA) chief executive Ian Maxwell have taken a 10 percent cut in salary due to the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. All other national team coaches have also agreed a 10 percent reduction with immediate effect. The SFA have reportedly missed out […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy announced 550 non-playing staff at the club will see their wages cut by 20 percent for the next two months on the same day it was revealed he was paid £7 million ($8.7 million) last season. Spurs accounts to June 30, 2019 revealed Levy was paid a £3 […]

The Hague (AFP) – Ajax have terminated the contract of former wonderkid Abdelhak Nouri, severely brain damaged and in a coma since collapsing three seasons ago, the Dutch daily De Telegraaf said Tuesday. The club intervened ahead of the July 1 date when the contract was due to renew for the 22-year-old who collapsed while […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham have reduced the wages of non-playing staff by 20 percent for the next two months, with chairman Daniel Levy hoping players will follow suit due to the financial crisis caused by coronavirus. Players at Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich are among those to have taken either a significant wage cut or […]

New York (AFP) – A federal judge in New York on Monday granted the release from prison on humanitarian grounds of an 87-year-old former senior Brazilian football official tarnished by the FIFA corruption scandal. Judge Pamela Chen authorized the release of Jose Maria Marin, a former Brazilian Football Confederation president, who was serving a four-year […]

London (AFP) – English football's major stakeholders will meet on Friday to discuss their options to rescue a season derailed by the coronavirus outbreak. The Premier League campaign has been postponed until at least April 30 because of the pandemic, but the chances of a return in May look bleak. AFP Sport takes a closer […]

London (AFP) – Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish posted a public apology on Monday for breaking UK government guidelines on social distancing as police opened an investigation into an incident in which a Range Rover crashed into parked cars. Villa expressed their disappointment with Grealish and said the 24-year-old will be fined with the proceeds […]

Paris (AFP) – The financial crisis facing football as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has been laid bare in France, where a decision to withhold payments due as part of a broadcast deal for Ligue 1 matches is set to leave clubs reeling. Canal Plus, the pay TV giant and long-time broadcaster of France's […]