NBCSN netted 1.3 million viewers for the US women's soccer team's opening game of the 2016 Rio Olympics. For the broadcast of Wednesday's game where the US women won 2-0 against New Zealand, the viewing figure is up 107% from the 2012 London Olympics opener when the United States played France (629,000 viewers). Commentating the […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Barcelona star Neymar failed to provide the expected flying start to Brazil's quest for a maiden football Olympic gold medal as the hosts were held 0-0 by 10-man South Africa in their Rio 2016 opener Thursday. Neymar is by far the biggest name taking part in the football competition and […]

London (AFP) – Cheikhou Kouyate scored twice as West Ham United beat Slovenians NK Domzale 3-0 to reach the Europa League play-off round in their first game at their new ground. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Slaven Bilic's side won 4-2 on aggregate at London Stadium courtesy of Senegalese midfielder Kouyate's first-half double and […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Brazil football legend Pele wants to light the Rio Olympic flame at the opening ceremony on Friday, but poor health may prevent him from accepting the honor, his spokesman said Thursday. Doubts over whether Pele, 75, would be free to carry the torch to the cauldron in the Maracana stadium have […]

Baku (AFP) – Portugal's Euro 2016 final hero Eder made an inauspicious return to competitive action on Thursday as his Lille side were unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League in Azerbaijan. The French club went down 1-0 to Qabala in the heat of Baku to lose their third qualifying round tie 2-1 on aggregate. […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Senegal defender Lamine Sane has left Bordeaux to join Werder Bremen, the French club announced on Thursday. Bordeaux, where the 29-year-old Sane has been since the start of his career, confirmed that he had passed a medical and penned a contract, although the length of the deal was not disclosed. Sane, who […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Sweden international striker Ola Toivonen has joined Toulouse on a three-year contract from Ligue 1 rivals Rennes, the buying club announced on Thursday. Toivonen, 30, spent the past season on loan at Sunderland but struggled to make an impact, failing to score a single goal as he was limited to 12 […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Outspoken USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo shrugged off as "fun" the abuse she faced from Brazilian fans angered by extravagant social media posts showing her precautions to avoid the Zika virus at Rio 2016. A two-time Olympics gold medallist with the all-conquering Americans, Solo was roundly booed during the USA's […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho should be sent to prison for bullying and exiling Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, a member of world players' union FifPro claimed on Thursday. Mourinho is keen to sell Schweinsteiger as he puts his mark on United's squad and reports have emerged that the Old Trafford manager has banished the […]

Another round of summer friendlies in the US and Canada has come and gone. And they have once again been a smashing success, both in attendances and TV ratings. This summer was truly an international flavor with teams playing on North American soil from Spain, Germany, Mexico, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Italy as well as […]

London (AFP) – England midfielder Jack Wilshere will miss Arsenal's forthcoming tour of Scandinavia with a knee injury, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. Wilshere, 24, played only three times for Arsenal last season after fracturing his shin in pre-season and then made three appearances in England's doomed Euro 2016 campaign. Chilean forward Alexis […]

East Rutherford (United States) (AFP) – Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out a return for Bastian Schweinsteiger, as the German champions finished their US tour. "Schweinsteiger plays no role in our planning," said Bayern's new Italian coach after Bayern's 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in a friendly in New York. "He is a […]

Brussels (AFP) – Roberto Martinez expressed his delight on Thursday after being named as the new head coach of the Belgium national team. The Spaniard was chosen as the successor to Marc Wilmots on Wednesday, after the former Belgium midfielder was sacked following the side's 3-1 defeat to Wales in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016. […]

In one of the most highly billed matches of the fourth annual International Champions Cup, Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich in the final ten minutes of an exciting affair Wednesday night. Despite several second half substitutions by both sides, the game was engaging and well appreciated by the 82,012 fans who packed MetLife Stadium in East […]

Berlin (AFP) – Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted his six-year ban from all football-related activity has taken a toll on his mental health. In an interview with German broadcaster ZDF to be screened Thursday night, the 80-year-old Swiss says the ban has left 'a mark' on him as he continues the fight […]