English-language incumbents FOX Sports and ESPN were lukewarm about renewing MLS TV rights. ESPN didn't place a bid for the streaming rights. Meanwhile, WarnerMedia lost interest after they secured the rights to the US National teams. In the end, though, MLS found a partner to take its distribution and revenue to the next level. The […]

Madrid (AFP) – Dani Alves announced on Wednesday that he is leaving Barcelona for a second time after returning to the club last year. The 39-year-old, who rejoined Barca last November on a short-term deal until the end of the season, confirmed he would not be extending his contract. "I would like to thank all […]

London (AFP) – Former captain Steph Houghton missed out on England's squad for Euro 2022 as coach Sarina Wiegman selected her 23 players for the tournament on home soil on Wednesday. Houghton had Achilles surgery in February which forced her to miss the second half of the club season with Manchester City. The 34-year-old has […]

Madrid (AFP) – La Liga confirmed on Wednesday it has filed complaints to UEFA about Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City "continuously breaching the current regulations of financial fair play". La Liga said the complaint to UEFA against City was made in April while the complaint against PSG was filed "this week". The Spanish league insisted […]

Bellinzona (Switzerland) (AFP) – The Swiss prosecutor's office on Wednesday demanded an 18-month suspended jail sentence for Michel Platini and ex-president of FIFA Sepp Blatter, accusing them of fraud. Blatter and Platini are being tried over a two-million-Swiss-franc payment in 2011 to the former France captain, who by that time was in charge of European […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Gareth Southgate was a national hero less than a year ago as he led England to a first major tournament final for 55 years but is now in the firing line after a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Hungary. England's worst home loss since 1928 leaves the Three Lions facing the […]

Osaka (Japan) (AFP) – Captain Maya Yoshida warned Japan they will have no chance at the World Cup if they "fall apart after conceding one goal", following a sobering 3-0 home defeat to Tunisia. The four-time Asian champions ended an encouraging run of results on a sour note on Tuesday with a second-half collapse in […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate accepted responsibility for the Three Lions' worst home defeat since 1928 as Hungary stormed to a 4-0 win in Wolverhampton on Tuesday. Southgate's men are staring at relegation from the top tier of the Nations League after a fourth consecutive game without a win. But he […]

Paris (AFP) – England suffered their heaviest home defeat in nearly 100 years on Tuesday as Gareth Southgate's side went down 4-0 to Hungary in the UEFA Nations League, while it was also a night to forget for Italy as they lost 5-2 in Germany. Not since a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Scotland's […]

New York (AFP) – Major League Soccer and Apple TV announced a 10-year media rights agreement on Tuesday worth a reported $2.5 billion that will see every single MLS game broadcast from the 2023 season onwards. "Apple is the perfect partner to further accelerate the growth of MLS and deepen the connection between our clubs […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane called for cool heads after the Three Lions were thrashed 4-0 by Hungary on Tuesday to suffer their worst home defeat for 94 years. Gareth Southgate's men are now staring at relegation from the top tier of the Nations League after their humiliation at Molineux compounded […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany equalled their biggest ever win over European champions Italy as Timo Werner scored twice in a thumping 5-2 Nations League victory on Tuesday. The result in Moenchengladbach matched the Germans' 5-2 triumph over the Azzurri at Berlin's Olympic Stadium back in 1939. An early goal by Joshua Kimmich and Ilkay Gundogan's […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England are staring relegation from the top tier of the Nations League in the face after a 4-0 thrashing by Hungary on Tuesday inflicted the Three Lions' heaviest home defeat since 1928. Hungary secured their first win over England for 60 years in Budapest 10 days ago and followed that […]

Rotterdam (Netherlands) (AFP) – Memphis Depay scored an injury-time winner just seconds after Gareth Bale had equalised for Wales as the Netherlands snatched a 3-2 Nations League victory on Tuesday. The win in Rotterdam keeps Louis van Gaal's men three points clear of Belgium, who won 1-0 against Poland in Warsaw, at the top of […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA are considering introducing a four-team mini-tournament at the start of each season, just before the Champions League group phase begins, European football's governing body confirmed on Tuesday. French sports daily L'Equipe reported that UEFA were weighing up the idea of a competition involving the winners of the previous season's Champions League […]