Zurich (AFP) – FIFA said Thursday it has started "disciplinary proceedings" after England and Scotland wore poppies on an armband in tribute to their countries' war dead in breach of a ban on political symbols. "We can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened on this matter," a FIFA spokesperson told AFP when asked about […]

London (AFP) – England captain Wayne Rooney faces a Football Association investigation over his role in a late-night hotel party, chief executive Martin Glenn said on Thursday. Rooney was thrown into the spotlight after The Sun tabloid alleged he drunkenly gatecrashed a wedding at England's team hotel in Watford, north of London, on Saturday. A […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate has made it clear he would like the England manager's job on a permanent basis, Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn said on Thursday. Southgate, 46, was placed in interim charge after Sam Allardyce left the role in September and has overseen wins over Malta and Scotland and draws with […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United posted sliding quarterly profits Thursday as the team paid the price for failing to qualify for the lucrative UEFA Champions League. Operating profit dived one third to £6.2 million (7.2 million euros, $7.7 million) in three months to September 30, or the first quarter of the club's 2016/2017 financial year. […]

London (AFP) – Wayne Rooney has apologised after "inappropriate" photos of him at a hotel party were released but the England captain has been defended by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who said all the game's greats "drank like devils". Rooney was thrown into the spotlight after The Sun tabloid alleged the Manchester United forward drunkenly […]

Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig can claim a milestone in their fledgling history on Friday by taking a point at Bayer Leverkusen to knock Bayern Munich from the top of the Bundesliga table. "We definitely want to take something there and remain unbeaten. If there is a point available, then there will also be three," […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Spanish giants FC Barcelona sealed a massive shirt sponsorship deal Wednesday with Japanese online retailer Rakuten worth at least 55 million euros ($59 million) a year. One of world football's most lucrative shirt sponsorship deals sees Japan's leading e-commerce company replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013, confirming Asia's appetite for […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate intends to review how England's players spend their free time if he secures the manager's job permanently after newspaper photographs showed captain Wayne Rooney allegedly drunk. British tabloid The Sun published pictures of Manchester United skipper Rooney, 31, supposedly looking the worse for wear after "gatecrashing" a wedding last weekend. […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho was fined by the Football Association for pre-match comments about Anthony Taylor after his remarks were found to have brought "an additional layer of pressure" upon the referee, it was revealed Wednesday. Manchester United manager Mourinho spoke about Taylor ahead of last month's goalless draw away to arch-rivals Liverpool in […]

London (AFP) – Newcastle United and England midfielder Jonjo Shelvey pleaded not guilty to a Football Association (FA) misconduct charge on Wednesday. Shelvey, accused of using abusive language towards an opponent that included reference to ethnicity, race or nationality, has requested a personal hearing. The misconduct charge handed down by the FA, English football's governing […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu predicted Wednesday that Lionel Messi would not only extend his contract with the Catalan club but also end his playing days there too. Speaking at the launch of a 55 million euros ($59 million) a year shirt sponsorship deal Bartomeu told journalists he was "relaxed about Messi's […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – FIFA's ethics tribunal on Wednesday banned top Qatari and Asia football official Saoud al-Mohannadi for one year for refusing to help in an investigation. Al-Mohannadi is vice-president of the 2022 World Cup host nation's football association and had wanted to run for an Asian Football Confederatioin vice president's position this year […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Spanish giants FC Barcelona sealed a massive shirt sponsorship deal Wednesday with Japanese online retailer Rakuten worth at least 55 million euros ($59 million) a year. One of world football's most lucrative shirt sponsorship deals sees Japan's leading e-commerce company replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013, confirming Asia's appetite for […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Calls for Jurgen Klinsmann to be sacked were mounting Wednesday as the worst defeat of his five-year reign left the United States facing an uphill battle to qualify for the World Cup. A brutal 4-0 mauling by Costa Rica on Tuesday in San Jose, just four days after a shattering 2-1 […]

Both the US Men's National Team and US Women's National Team have completed their last games of the 2016 calendar year. And while their performances on the pitch have been a mix of good and poor, the attendance figures for home games paint a worrying picture for both the men and women's teams. In 2016, every […]