Lisbon (AFP) – There was a time, before TV deals brought untold riches to the game, when retiring footballers had little in the bank and few options for the rest of their lives. But as the boom of the past two decades has transformed the business fortunes of the big clubs, so has it opened […]

Viewership of Premier League matches on NBC Sports in the United States is down 18.96%, according to a report. For gameweek one through eleven of the 2016/17 Premier League season, the average viewership for a game on NBC Sports is 381,418 (for 67 matches in total). That compares to an average viewership of 470,681 for […]

Berlin (AFP) – Captain Manuel Neuer is the latest Germany star ruled out of Friday's World Cup qualifier against minnows San Marino, the German FA (DFB) confirmed on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper withdrew because he felt unwell shortly before Germany's flight to Rimini to face the microstate in northern Italy. He will also […]

Barcelona (AFP) – European Golden Shoe winner Luis Suarez said negotiations to extend his contract with Barcelona until 2021 were running smoothly. The 29-year-old, who claimed the award for a second time after finishing top scorer across Europe last season, originally joined Barcelona on a five-year deal from Liverpool in 2014. "Negotiations are moving along […]

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – A resurgent Brazil return to the scene of the most humiliating defeat in their history on Thursday when they face Argentina in a titantic 2018 World Cup qualifier. Two years ago at Belo Horizonte's Estadio Mineirao, Brazil were ripped apart 7-1 by Germany in the World Cup semi-finals, a traumatic […]

Doha (AFP) – Alcohol will be banned from streets and public places and if Qatari officials get their way even stadiums during the 2022 World Cup, the head of the country's tournament organising committee said on Tuesday. The comments by Hassan Al-Thawadi will further alarm football traditionalists already unhappy that the tournament will be moved […]

Univision's announcers for Friday's must-watch game between USA and Mexico will be José Luis López Salido and Enrique Bermudez. Alongside Lopez and Bermudez in the booth will be analysts Diego Balado, former Mexican national team player Gonzalo Pineda and former captain of the U.S. national team Marcelo Balboa. The USA-Mexico match will be shown live on […]

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – They may be about to lock horns in the latest instalment of Brazil and Argentina's ferocious football rivalry, but Neymar was not about to let 102 years of South American footballing enmity get in the way of his friendship with Barcelona mates Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano. So when the […]

Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel said on Tuesday that the Islamic State group had been planning attacks "in the Balkans" and specifically warned its citizens not to attend an upcoming Israel-Albania football match. Albanian football officials said earlier Tuesday that the country's 2018 World Cup qualifier with Israel this weekend would be moved for "security reasons", […]

Madrid (AFP) – A day after signing a bumper fresh contract with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo has boosted his mind-boggling earnings with a new deal with Nike, the American sports giant said on Tuesday. Together the multimillion mega-deals are expected to cement Ronaldo's status as the world's highest-paid sportsman, ahead of great Barcelona rival Lionel […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's players are pleased they will be able to wear commemorative poppies in Friday's World Cup qualifier against Scotland, striker Harry Kane said on Tuesday. World governing body FIFA forbids teams from wearing political, commercial or religious symbols during matches and has warned England and Scotland they could face sanctions […]

FOX Sports has announced that John Strong and Stu Holden will announce Friday's USA vs. Mexico game, which will air live on FS1 and Sling Blue beginning at 8pm ET. Rob Stone hosts pregame, halftime and postgame studio coverage live from a field-level set at MAPFRE Stadium, where the United States has dominated the previous […]

Milan (AFP) – Italian Stefano Pioli has been appointed coach of Inter Milan to replace Dutchman Frank De Boer, the Serie A club announced on Tuesday. The 51-year-old takes over from De Boer, who was sacked a week ago following a 1-0 defeat at Sampdoria, Inter's fifth loss in 11 outings. Inter, taken over in […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's players are pleased they will be able to wear commemorative poppies in Friday's World Cup qualifier against Scotland, striker Harry Kane said on Tuesday. World governing body FIFA forbids teams from wearing political, commercial or religious symbols during matches and has warned England and Scotland they could face sanctions […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho's man-management skills are under scrutiny after he appeared to publicly accuse defenders Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling of malingering. While not mentioning either player by name, Mourinho expressed unhappiness after the pair missed United's 3-1 win at Swansea City on Sunday, suggesting they had shown a lack […]