Paris (AFP) – A group of Russian football supporters was being thrown out of France on Tuesday because authorities fear they will cause trouble at Euro 2016 matches, officials said. French officials were checking the identities of 29 supporters at a hotel in Mandelieu-La Napoule near Marseille and authorities have already decided to take some […]

Paris (AFP) – Social media fiend, clothing line designer and head of a football academy in New York, Austria captain Christian Fuchs is as committed off the pitch as he is to fairytale Premier League champions Leicester City. Signed on a free transfer from German side Schalke last summer, it's been a remarkable journey for […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – He symbolised the end of an era after a disastrous first-round exit from the 2014 World Cup, but Andres Iniesta's critics were eating their words as the champions flexed their Euro 2016 muscles on Monday. On a rain-soaked pitch in windy Toulouse, it took Vicente del Bosque's two-time defending champions 87 […]

Sydney (AFP) – Chinese high-tech company Ledman Group was Tuesday unveiled as the new owner of Australian team Newcastle Jets, with millionaire chairman Martin Lee saying he is excited by the club's potential. The Jets have been under the stewardship of Football Federation Australia since May last year when the body seized the team licence […]

Lyon (AFP) – Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle sparked wild celebrations by Italy after scoring the goals in a 2-0 win over world number two side Belgium in their opening Euro 2016 match. Defending champions Spain, seeking an unprecedented third triumph, also started with a hard fought 1-0 win over Czech Republic. Zlatani Ibrahimovic's Sweden […]

Houston (AFP) – Porto midfielder Jesus Manuel "Tecatito" Corona scored a superb individual goal as Mexico snatched a 1-1 draw with Venezuela to qualify for the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals as group winners here Monday. Mexico appeared to be heading for an embarrassing defeat against the lightly regarded Venezuelans, who led through a 10th minute […]

Moscow (AFP) – Rampaging football fans have opened up a new sporting crisis for Russia as it battles doping scandals and doubts about the World Cup that it will host in two years. Sanctions that UEFA is considering against Russia over pitched fights, racist chants and fireworks hurled around the European Championship game against England […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA will on Tuesday announce a first verdict against Russia for the football unrest caused by their fans at Euro 2016 while England questioned security for high-risk matches this week. A French court, meanwhile, ordered prison terms of up to a year against 10 men — six Britons, three French and one […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Minnows Albania could feel the full force of Euro 2016 hosts France as confidence grows ahead of their Group A encounter in Marseille on Wednesday, warned striker Olivier Giroud. Arsenal striker Giroud put any lingering doubts over his goalscoring form behind him after 57 minutes at the Stade de France on […]

Paris (AFP) – Switzerland and new Arsenal signing Granit Xhaka go in hunt of a second victory in Euro 2016 on Wednesday against a Romania side fighting for survival. Romania came close to frustrating France in the tournament-opening match before Dimitri Payet's sublime winner gave the French a last-gasp 2-1 win. The Swiss meanwhile had […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Fresh from holding England in Marseille in their Euro 2016 Group B opener, Russia face Slovakia in Lille on Wednesday knowing a win would all but secure progression to the last 16. Russia's opening game on Saturday was overshadowed by the trouble that flared in the city of Marseille and in […]

Paris (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo headlines Tuesday's action at Euro 2016 with another goalscoring record in sight as Portugal face Iceland on their debut in a major international tournament. Austria and Hungary also start their campaigns in the second Group F match of the day. Ronaldo can become the first man to score in four […]

Before Brazil faced Peru at Gillette Stadium in the final match of the group stage during the 2016 Copa America Centenario, many considered Dunga's men reaching the quarter-finals a foregone conclusion. And while their failure to reach the knockout rounds was one of the major shocks of the tournament so far, the writing was on […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he had witnessed rigged draws for European football competitions using "hot and cold balls," in an interview with an Argentine newspaper published Monday. Blatter said no draw for a FIFA event had been fixed during his 18 years at the helm of world football's governing […]

Lyon (AFP) – Italy's Antonio Conte says the 'open wound' of their 2014 World Cup failure should inspire the Azzurri to success at Euro 2016 after their impressive 2-0 win over Belgium. Goals in either half from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle saw Italy floor much-fancied Belgium at the Stade de Lyon on Monday. Italy […]