Harare (AFP) – Star Khama Billiat and fellow midfielder and captain Willard Katsande are among eight South Africa-based footballers chosen by Zimbabwe for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. The 'Warriors' will be the outsiders this month in Group B, where they will play former champions Algeria and Tunisia, and Senegal, with the […]

Harare (AFP) – Zimbabwe's sports ministry stumped up $1 million emergency funding after player grievances over accommodation and training facilities threatened preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, an official said Thursday. The side was training at a private school outside the capital Harare because the financially hamstrung football association failed to pay a $60 […]

The Hague (AFP) – A Dutch court on Thursday ordered the Chinese owners of top-flight side ADO Den Haag to pay almost 2.5 million euros ($2.6 million, £2.1 million) to the club in back payments and costs. The decision against the Chinese sports events company United Vansen and its wealthy owner Wang Hui comes after […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola denied on Thursday that he was already planning his retirement at age 45, after saying that he was "arriving at the end" of his career. The Spaniard sparked feverish speculation about his future after saying in an interview with American television station NBC that he […]

NBC Sports' fourth year of Premier League coverage has been, in some manners, stale and predictable. But as always, the real test of coverage of the world’s most popular soccer league doesn’t come in August or May, but during the festive period. This festive period was a mixed bag for NBC Sports. Let’s take a […]

Kampala (AFP) – Uganda coach Milutin Sredejovic has named only four home-based players in his 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. The Serbian-born coach, who has successfully managed to steer the Ugandan team to their first Nations Cup in 39 years, has included 18-year-old striker Muhammad Shaban in the squad. Shaban, […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Highly-rated teenager Ademola Lookman achieved his 'dream move' on Thursday signing for Premier League Everton from third tier Charlton Athletic for a fee reported to be £11 million ($13.5 mn, 12.8 mn euros). The 19-year-old forward — who broke into the Charlton first team last season, scoring five goals when they were […]

London (AFP) – Premier League strugglers Hull City appointed Marco Silva as manager for the rest of the season on Thursday. The 39-year-old Portuguese — who guided Olympiakos to the Greek title last term before resigning — replaces Mike Phelan, who was sacked on Tuesday. Silva's first match in charge of the bottom-placed club will […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on Thursday downplayed Chilean star Alexis Sanchez's moody behaviour during and after the 3-3 Premier League draw with Bournemouth saying it was natural at his being frustrated. The 28-year-old forward — who is holding off from signing a new contract — had a heated discussion with midfielder Aaron […]

London (AFP) – French midfielder Francis Coquelin faces a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday. The 25-year-old — who has been at the Gunners for eight years spending part of that time out on loan — suffered the injury in the first-half of the 3-3 Premier […]

Libreville (AFP) – With just days to go before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's Gabon begin their quest to win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, the mood in the host nation remains gloomy. While the final touches are being put on the four stadiums due to host matches in the January 14-February 5 tournament, the […]

London (AFP) – Yaya Toure has challenged Manchester City to put a smile back on Pep Guardiola's face with a dominant display in Friday's FA Cup third-round clash at West Ham. Guardiola was in a tetchy mood following City's 2-1 win over Burnley on Monday as he grumbled about the way officials treat his team […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino believes his side showed the spirit required to win the Premier League title after they ended leaders Chelsea's 13-game winning run. Chelsea were seeking to become the first team to win 14 successive English top-flight games in the same season, but Dele Alli's headed double condemned them […]

In the United States, one of Major League Soccer's biggest TV rivals is Liga MX, with the Mexican league having almost three times the average audience size of MLS games shown on television. Obviously Liga MX has a large following among those of Mexican origin. But there’s another factor at play too: Liga MX does […]

Tunis (AFP) – Tunisia named their 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday with Europe-based stars Aymen Abdennour, Wahbi Khazri and Naim Sliti poised to be the key men at the January 14-February 5 tournament in Gabon. Coach Henryk Kasperczak, who was also in charge of The Carthage Eagles at the 1996 […]